Lifelong imprisonment for Syrian doctor: negotiated torture crime in Frankfurt

Lifelong imprisonment for Syrian doctor: negotiated torture crime in Frankfurt

On June 16, 2025, a pioneering judgment against the Syrian doctor Alaa M. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in front of the Frankfurt am Main Higher Regional Court after the participation of serious crimes in Syria. The court determined the special severity of the guilt, which excludes premature detention after 15 years, as

The victims were imprisoned civilians who were seen as opponents of the BASHAR al-Assad regime. In the course of a three and a half year trial, numerous witnesses documented the sadistic practices to which they were delivered. Tragically, the sufferings of two victims ended in their death. The importance of the testimony was emphasized in the pronouncement of the judgment, since many witnesses were threatened with the Syrian leadership so that they are silent.

The long way to justice

Alaa M. had lived in Germany for a decade, where he worked as an orthopedic surgeon, most recently in Bad Wildungen. He was arrested in the summer of 2020 after victims were able to identify him in a TV documentary. In the process, he asserted his innocence and spoke of a conspiracy against him. The lawyers demanded an acquittal, which did not decide in their sense.

The fact that such a process could occur is also due to the principle of world law that Germany anchored in its constitution. This principle enables the persecution of the severeest international crimes, regardless of the location of your inspection. Another pioneering process took place at the Koblenz OLG, where the systematic torture by the Syrian regime became clear. A judgment that opened the space for the legal review of these crimes in Germany was given a historical importance.

conflict and crimes against humanity

In order to understand the background of these convictions, a look at the events in Syria since 2011 is sufficient. The uprising started peacefully, but was quickly put down bloody. Various reports of human rights organizations qualify the procedures of the Syrian security forces as "crimes against humanity". The BPB emphasizes that many of the terrorist acts that were committed by various groups and the ASAD regime in international criminal proceedings should play a role.

The evidence collected in advance demonstrate the brutality of the regime, which has specifically suppressed its own population. People like Alaa M. have to face responsibility in Germany. Processes against other former officials of the Syrian secret service, such as Anwar R. and Eyad A., also show that the judiciary will not rest until the deeds are enlightened. These procedures make it clear that Germany is not a secure port for war criminals and torture servants, such as DetailsOrtFrankfurt am Main, DeutschlandQuellen

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