Germany arrests 5 men for war crimes in Syria

BERLIN

German authorities arrested five men for committing war crimes in Syria, prosecutors announced on Wednesday.

One of the suspects was an employee of the Syrian military intelligence service and involved in the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations, abuse of civilians in detention centers, the Federal Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.

The other suspects were members of an armed militia group which exercised control over the Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus, on behalf of the Syrian regime, and were strongly suspected of committing crimes against humanity.

“All of the accused took part in the violent suppression of a peaceful demonstration against the Syrian government in Yarmouk on July 13, 2012. Together with other accomplices, they deliberately shot at demonstrators. At least six people died from their injuries, and other victims were injured, some seriously,” the prosecutors said.

According to the authorities, the suspects cooperated closely with the Syrian military secret service, in particular with its departments 227 and 235, and they were involved in arbitrary arrests, physical abuse of civilians and enforced disappearances between 2012 and 2014.

They were believed to have travelled to Germany during the refugee influx and applied for international protection.

Germany’s unique legislation the “Code of Crimes against International Law” gives courts universal jurisdiction over war crimes and crimes against humanity, and they can open full investigation into such crimes, even if they were not committed within its territory.