Human rights: Syrian military appears in Germany for torture

13 former prisoners reported to the general attorney for torture in Syrian prisons. Several organizations support the process.

Human rights: Syrian military appears in Germany for torture

Former prisoners from Syria have been accused of torture in Syrian detention at general attorney in Karlsruhe. Thirteen men and women had submitted two new criminal charges against 17 suspects in Syria for crimes against humanity and war crimes, and shared European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), which has worked out advertisements.

The acts displayed thus occurred between December 2011 and June 2014 in military prison Saidnaja north of Damascus and in prison of Secret Service at al-Massa Air Force base in capital. The advertisements are directed against seven high-ranking members of Syrian military and ten officials of National Security Office and Air Force intelligence. In Germany, it is possible under world law principle to bring crimes committed against human rights in Syria to justice. The general attorney has taken investigations into cases and interrogated first witnesses.

"We need to take tips of apparatus in sights of prosecution," said ECCHR-secretary General Wolfgang Kaleck. The Syrian hierarchy is aimed at torturing: "Torture belongs to DNA of Assad regime." Germany can make an important contribution to putting an end to impunity in Syria.

Also Amnesty International and Greens-near Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung support display. The two advertisements were created in cooperation with Syrian lawyers, said head of Middle East and North Africa Department of Foundation, Antonie Nord. "We must try to stop systematic torture in Syrian prisons," said Nord. It is long overdue to account for those responsible in Syria, said Middle East expert at Amnesty International, René Wildangel.

In February, organization published a report on situation in Syrian military prison Saidnaja. Thus, in years 2011 to 2015 between 5,000 and 13,000 executions were given. The victims would be sentenced by military tribunals in a few minutes. Confessions would mostly be enforced with help of torture. The information was n based on descriptions of 84 witnesses and experts, including prison guards and officials, but also former prisoners, judges and lawyers.

Date Of Update: 09 November 2017, 12:03
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