The criminal trial was held under so-called universal jurisdiction: prosecution of crimes against humanity wherever they were committed. It is the first time worldwide that this has been used for crimes in Syria. The prosecutors had demanded life.
Torture of 4000 prisoners
The former soldier is believed to be responsible for torturing at least 4,000 people in a Syrian intelligence prison in the capital Damascus.
At least 58 people have been killed as a result, according to prosecutors. The judges consider 27 murders proven, German media report.
Arrested in Germany
The trial of Raslan and co-defendant Eyad al-Gharib began in April 2020. The latter, also a former member of the Syrian secret service, was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison in February last year for crimes against humanity. He cooperated in torture on behalf of the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
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Among other things, he arranged for the arrest and transport of demonstrators to a detention center where torture was taking place. Both Syrians were arrested in Germany in 2019.
Human rights organization Human Rights Watch sees the ruling as a beacon of hope in the fight for justice in Syria. “The verdict is a breakthrough for Syrian victims and the German justice system to break through the wall of impunity.”
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