A Landmark Conviction On State Violence In Syria By A German Court

 A German court has sentenced a Syrian colonel, Anwar Raslan to life in prison for crimes against humanity. He tortured over 4,000 people in Syria's civil war in a jail known as "Hell on Earth".

When detainees arrived at the security office in Syria, he used to brutally beat them. He killed at least 27 people in the prison. He also used to sexually abuse detainees. Reportedly, detainees were fed potatoes that tasted like diesel. They used to drink from toilets. 

In the landmark ruling, the Koblenz Higher Regional Court sentenced him to life in prison for committing these crimes. Human rights lawyers and Syrian survivors hailed the verdict as a landmark ruling. The UN (United Nations) rights chief Michelle Bachelet also praised the conviction. 

The ruling was significant for those people who survived the Al-Khatib detention center during the Syrian war. They gave evidence during the trial in court. Raslan was found guilty of rape and sexual assault carried out at the Al-Khatib detention center near Damascus. Reportedly, more than 80 witnesses testified during the trial about their conditions in the detention center. Raslan was the high-ranking security service officer under President Bashar al-Assad.

Reportedly, in Syria, many leaders are still living freely after committing huge crimes. More powerful leaders than Raslan are accused of committing more extensive crimes. Some leaders crafted policies that resulted in mass civilian deaths. However, those leaders are still living freely in Syria, including its president, Bashar Assad. The court acknowledged the fact that crimes against humanity were perpetrated by the Assad regime against its citizens.

Raslan was arrested in Germany in 2019. He successfully sought asylum in Germany. However, he denied all the charges leveled against him. Many of the almost 800,000 Syrians who now live in Germany shared terrible stories of Syria.