On September 30th, German authorities arrested a Syrian man on suspicion of committing crimes against humanity in 2011 in Aleppo.
Identified only as Anwar S.–to comply with German privacy laws–he is accused of leading the ‘shabiha‘ militia that operated under former President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
The reign of the former Syrian president came to an end on December 8th, 2024 following a bloody 13-year civil war. The movement behind Assad’s toppling was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group previously allied with the Islamic State and Al Qaeda.
According to prosecutors, between April and November 2011, Anwar S. allegedly directed his militia to attack civilians after Friday prayers on eight separate occasions, using batons, metal rods, and other weapons to suppress protests. Victims reportedly suffered severe beatings, electric shocks, and other forms of torture. In at least one instance, a detained protester died while in custody.
Some protesters were handed over to Syrian police and intelligence agencies, where they reportedly endured further abuse.
Germany has in recent years increasingly applied universal jurisdiction laws to pursue former Syrian officials abroad. These laws allow prosecutors to bring charges for serious human rights violations, including crimes against humanity, regardless of where they occurred.
