Belgium charging a Syrian for war crimes

Roni Alasor / 30 January 2024 - Middle East Diplomatic - Its first time that Belgium will charge a Syrian living in Belgium for war crimes against humanity. According to the Belgium federal prosecutor, the Syrian man was arrested last week and he is accused for serious violations of international humanitarian law for crimes committed during the Syrian civil war.

Eric Van Duyse, the federal prosecutor`s spokesman underlined that "Raids at the suspect`s home in Brussels, as well as at the addresses of two companies linked to him were carried out on Tuesday. The suspect appeared before a Brussels examining judge on Wednesday, when he was charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes in Syria between 2011 and 2016.  He was also arrested."

He is charged in connection with crimes against humanity and war crimes between 2011 and 2016 under the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

According to judicial sources, the suspect was the leader of a militia in Salamiyah, a town in western Syria, and acted as an executioner under the command of Bashar al-Assad. In that capacity, he allegedly tortured and killed countless people.