German Court: Syrian Man Guilty of Crimes Against Humanity

German Court: Syrian Man Guilty of Crimes Against Humanity
Syrian woman Yasmen Almashan holds the pictures of her five in Syria died brothers before the verdict in front of the court in Koblenz, Germany, on Jan. 13, 2022. Martin Meissner/AP Photo
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KOBLENZ, Germany—A former Syrian secret police officer was convicted by a German court Thursday of crimes against humanity for overseeing the abuse of detainees at a jail near Damascus a decade ago.

Anwar Raslan is the highest-ranking Syrian official so far convicted of the charge. The verdict was keenly anticipated by those who suffered abuse or lost relatives at the hands of President Bashar Assad’s government in Syria’s long-running conflict.