Germany hands Syrian doctor life for torturing dissidents

16/6/2025 19:15

A German court sentenced a Syrian doctor found guilty of torturing dissidents in Syria to life in prison on Monday, local media reported, the latest win for victims of the Assad regime under universal jurisdiction rules.



The 40-year-old doctor, who was arrested in June 2020 five years after fleeing to Germany among a large influx of Syrian refugees and starting a new life, was handed a life sentence without parole, DPA news agency reported.



German prosecutors have used universal jurisdiction laws that allow them to seek trials for suspects in crimes against humanity committed anywhere in the world.



They have targeted several former Syrian officials in similar cases in recent years.