- Abolishment of War Crimes Tribunal
Court Drops Arrest Warrant in Syria War Crimes Case
A warrant for the arrest of a suspect in a trial relating to alleged war crimes in Syria has been withdrawn. This decision was made by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) in Karlsruhe, following the dismissal of an appeal by the Federal Prosecutor's Office against the decision of the Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Koblenz. The man, who had been in custody since his arrest in March 2023, was subsequently released from custody in early July due to a lack of sufficient evidence for a strong suspicion of a crime. He is now a free man, with the trial against him continuing.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office has accused the Syrian man of various offences, including membership in a foreign terrorist organization, war crimes, and murder. He is reportedly believed to have joined the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia in 2015, and participated in the execution of prisoners. He is also alleged to have taken civilians hostage.
However, the man's defense lawyer argued in court that his client had never been a member or supporter of IS. He is, in fact, neither an Islamist nor a believer. There is insufficient evidence to prove that he was an IS member.
The OLG in Koblenz explained the lifting of the arrest warrant by stating that, based on the initial evaluation of evidence from over 20 trial days, the man no longer appears to be strongly suspected of having committed the crimes he is accused of.
(Paraphrased text)
The Federal Prosecutor's Office initially sought to try the case in the Court of First Instance due to the seriousness of the accusations. Despite the man's continued detention, the Court of First Instance could not move forward with the trial due to the lack of sufficient evidence.
