The trial for alleged war crimes against a Syrian militia leader begins in Germany

HAMBURG, 17 May. (DPA/EP) –

The trial for alleged war crimes against one of the leaders of the Shabiha militia, related to the Government of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, began this Friday in the German city of Hamburg, located in the north of the country.

The accused is a 47-year-old Syrian man who entered Germany in February 2016 and was subsequently detained in the city of Bremen, according to a spokesman for the Higher Hanseatic Regional Court, who has indicated that he is being tried for alleged crimes committed between 2012 and 2015.

As one of the leaders of the Shabiha militia, the accused would have participated in abuses and acts of “slavery” against civilians, as well as looting, according to the Prosecutor’s Office. In addition, Justice accuses the militia of being behind arbitrary arrests at checkpoints in Damascus, the capital of Syria, for purposes such as extortion, torture or forced labor.

The militia has also been accused of cooperating with the Syrian military secret service and using violence to suppress opposition and dissent. According to the German Prosecutor’s Office, the accused has been charged with 21 counts of crimes against humanity.