Life sentence for Anwar Raslan, senior Syrian officer tried in Germany

Former Syrian intelligence officer Anwar Raslan, from behind, stands next to his lawyers in the courtroom of a courthouse in Koblenz, western Germany, January 13, 2022, the last day of the trial where he was sentenced to life for crimes against humanity.

AFP - THOMAS FREY

Text by: Murielle Paradon Follow

3 mins

Anwar Raslan, accused of crimes against humanity, was found guilty of 27 murders and torture by a court in Koblenz, Germany, on Thursday January 13.

This former colonel in the Syrian intelligence services was in charge of a secret prison in Damascus after the start of the war in 2011, he then went into exile in Germany, where he was tried.

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Historical.

The verdict was welcomed by many human rights organizations.

It makes it possible to "

 ", underlined in a press release Amnesty International.

This is the first time that a trial linked to abuses attributed to the Syrian regime has taken place and resulted in convictions.

First there was that of

, another member of the intelligence services, sentenced last February to four and a half years in prison, for complicity in crimes against humanity.

Anwar Raslan, as supervisor of the secret prison "Branch 251", for his part received a life sentence.

His defense has announced its intention to appeal.

The former Syrian colonel remained silent throughout the trial, which began in April 2020, and did not react to the announcement of the verdict.

But in a letter read by his lawyers, he denied the charges against him.

Very serious facts: torture, sexual abuse, murder.

The victims had to overcome their fear

In this case, dozens of victims, including former detainees, dared to testify.

"

" explains Clémence Bectarte, lawyer with FIDH, the International Federation for Human Rights.

"

Anwar Raslan and Eyad al-Gharib, former members of the Syrian intelligence services, arrived in Germany as refugees in 2014 and 2018 respectively. They were eventually confounded thanks to the work of victims, supported by human rights organizations, and who were able to file a complaint.

Germany can accommodate this kind of trial, because it applies the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows the perpetrators of serious crimes to be tried, regardless of their nationality or the place where these crimes were committed.

The International Court of Justice could not be requested, because Syria is not a signatory of the treaty establishing the latter.

The UN Security Council could have taken it up, but allies of the Syrian regime, such as Russia, obstructed.

►Read also: Ex-Syrian colonel sentenced in Germany, a historic trial that will set a precedent

French justice is dragging its feet

Other countries could follow Germany's example.

Several complaints have been filed in Europe for similar facts, in particular in France, which also applies the principle of universal jurisdiction.

According to Bénédicte Jeannerod, spokesperson for Human Rights Watch, French justice is dragging its feet: "

regrets she.

"

For Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Koblenz verdict “

”.

Can the Syrian regime at its highest level be incriminated?

Will we one day see President Bashar al-Assad in the dock?

This is what some victims want.

According to international law, he benefits from immunity due to his function as head of state, recalls lawyer Clémence Bectarte.

But when he is no longer in office, he could theoretically be brought to justice.

►Read again: In Germany, historic verdict for the crimes attributed to the Syrian regime

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