Justice Update – A Small Town in Germany

Koblenz (Library of congress via wikimedia commons)

Despite the lock down due to Covid-19, a German court in Koblenz is hearing a landmark crimes against humanity case against two people alleged to be former Syrian intelligence officials. This is huge news: first time the Syrian state apparatus is on trial; first time the details of what’s been happening in a specific prison in Syria will be described in court; and the very interesting concept of ‘universal jurisdiction’ is being seen in action.

The two in question are Anwar R. and Eyad A., alleged to have been members of the mukhabarat; specifically, Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate.

It was the German human rights organization, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR),  along with Syrian lawyers, who have pushed this case forward.

Stephanie and Balkees

For more details of what precisely they are accused of (lots of torture), and how the trial is seen in Syria, we spoke to Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director and Sara Kayyali Syria Researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Do also check out a new podcast from Fritz Steiff Branch 251‘ which will feature victims, lawyers, details from the trial and asks whether a German court in a city nobody has ever heard of be able to deliver justice.

JusticeInfo.net

This podcast has been produced as part of a partnership with JusticeInfo.net, an independent website in French and English covering justice initiatives in countries dealing with serious violence. It is a media outlet of Fondation Hirondelle, based in Lausanne, Switzerland.