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Anwar Raslan, head of the investigative department al-Khatib of the Syrian State Security, in court in Koblenz
Photo: Thomas Lohnes / AFP
In the world's first trial of Syrian state torture, Anwar Raslan was sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity.
This was announced by the Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Koblenz.
The court regards it as proven that the 58-year-old was responsible for the torture of at least 4,000 people in a general secret service prison in the Syrian capital, Damascus, as the chief interrogator.
At least 30 prisoners died.
The process began 108 days ago in April 2020 and caused a stir internationally.
More than 80 witnesses were summoned, and a number of victims of torture appeared as co-plaintiffs.
It is the first case of this kind in which an actor in the Syrian civil war had to answer for his actions.
More soon at SPIEGEL.de
mrc / dpa