German court finds Syrian colonel guilty of crimes against humanity

A German court has sentenced a Syrian colonel to life in prison for crimes against humanity in a landmark case.

The trial in Koblenz is the world’s first criminal case brought over state-led torture in Syria.

The ruling is significant, especially for those who survived Al-Khatib and gave evidence during the trial. A criminal court has now formally acknowledged that crimes against humanity were perpetrated by the Assad regime against its own citizens.