German prosecutors have charged a former Syrian security official, identified as Fahad A, with crimes against humanity, accusing him of torturing dozens of prisoners in a Damascus jail during the rule of ex-President Bashar al-Assad.

The Federal Public Prosecutor General’s office announced the indictment on Monday, alleging that Fahad A participated in over 100 interrogations between 2011 and 2012, during which prisoners were subjected to severe physical abuse, including electric shocks, cable beatings, forced stress positions, and suspensions from the ceiling.

“As a result of such mistreatment and catastrophic prison conditions, at least 70 prisoners died,” the prosecutors stated. Fahad A is also charged with murder.

The official was arrested on 27 May 2025 and formally indicted on 10 December 2025. He is currently being held in pre-trial detention in Germany.

Justice for Assad-Era Abuses

The Assad regime, removed from power in December 2024 after nearly 14 years of civil war, was widely accused of systematic human rights abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearances. Syrians have demanded accountability for crimes committed during the decades-long dictatorship.

Germany has leveraged universal jurisdiction laws to prosecute suspects in crimes against humanity committed anywhere in the world. These laws have allowed German courts to pursue Syrian war criminals residing in Germany, home to roughly one million Syrians.

In June 2025, a Frankfurt court sentenced Syrian doctor Alaa Mousa to life in prison for torturing political prisoners at military hospitals in Damascus and Homs. Witnesses testified that Mousa committed brutal acts, including pouring flammable liquid on wounds and injecting prisoners with lethal substances. Presiding Judge Christoph Koller described the verdict as a testament to the brutality of Assad’s dictatorial regime.

This latest case in Koblenz underscores Germany’s commitment to holding perpetrators of torture and crimes against humanity accountable, even years after the crimes were committed.