Germany charges ex-Syrian agent over jail murders
German prosecutors have charged a suspected former Syrian intelligence officer with crimes against humanity, including the torture and murder of dozens of prisoners in a Damascus jail during the early years of Syria’s civil war.
The suspect, identified as Fahad A. under German privacy laws, is accused of serving as a prison guard between April 2011 and April 2012 under the government of Bashar al-Assad. He was arrested in Germany in May, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Prosecutors say the accused took part in more than 100 interrogations in which detainees were subjected to severe abuse. Authorities allege that at least 70 prisoners died as a result of mistreatment and dire prison conditions.
The case is being pursued under Germany’s universal jurisdiction laws, which allow courts to prosecute crimes against humanity committed abroad. Germany has used these laws to bring several Syria-related war crimes cases in recent years, reflecting its role as home to around one million Syrians.
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