Summary:
- Mustafa A, former Liwa al-Quds member, sentenced to 12 years for war crimes in a landmark Dutch court decision.
- The ruling is the first Dutch court conviction for crimes tied to support for President Bashar al-Assad’s government during the Syrian war, setting it apart from prior German cases.
Hague, Jan 22 (TopNews) – In a landmark ruling, a district court in The Hague has convicted a 35-year-old man, known as Mustafa A, who was a former member of the Syrian pro-government armed group Liwa al-Quds, sentencing him to 12 years in prison for war crimes.
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The court found Mustafa A guilty of complicity in torture, inhumane treatment, and illegal arrest during the Syrian conflict. The charges stem from his involvement in the arrest of an individual in 2012 in Syria, whom he subsequently handed over to Syrian Air Force intelligence officials operating a prison where torture occurred.
Mustafa A, who had been living in the Netherlands since 2020 and applied for asylum, was arrested in 2022. The court’s judgment included convictions for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and membership in a criminal organization.
During the trial’s first session in November, witnesses recounted Mustafa A’s role in violent arrests, detailing beatings and torture endured by prisoners. Despite repeated requests for a response, Mustafa A consistently invoked his right to remain silent.
This ruling signifies a historic moment as it marks the first time a Dutch court has convicted an individual for crimes committed while fighting on the side of President Bashar al-Assad’s government during the Syrian war.
Similar convictions have been seen in Germany, but this decision sets a precedent in the Netherlands. In recent years, Dutch courts have also issued war crimes convictions to Syrian nationals associated with opposition militias and other armed groups in Syria.
Source: News Agencies.