Federal Court of Justice Confirms Verdict Against Hezbollah Member for Crimes in Syria

Specifically, the judges accused Ammar A. Alissa of, among other things, torture, forced pornography, and rape of civilians during the Syrian civil war. The Higher Regional Court of Koblenz had sentenced him in June 2024 to a multi-year prison term. The now rejected appeal was directed against this decision.

The proceedings were held regarding incidents in the Busra Al Sham region, among others. The prosecution had accused Ammar A. Alissa of direct participation in acts of violence in favor of the Assad regime. The BGH assessed the evaluation of evidence by the Koblenz court as comprehensible.

Role of the Federal Prosecutor's Office

The Federal Prosecutor's Office had classified the case as an attempted homicide offense and as serious involvement in war crimes. It had sought a conviction for co-perpetration in at least twelve acts of violence, including rapes, tortures, and murders of civilians in the region around Busra Al Sham.

The proceedings against Ammar A. Alissa were conducted at the Higher Regional Court of Koblenz, which is responsible for state security offenses. The Stuttgart Public Prosecutor's Office had previously brought charges and initiated the proceedings.

Reaction of a Co-Plaintiff

Mohamad Alissa, who appeared as a co-plaintiff in the proceedings, expressed relief after the decision. He said: "Ich glaube, Gerechtigkeit hat keine Grenzen. Es ist egal, wo ein Verbrechen passiert, oder aus welchem Land Täter oder Opfer kommen. Dieses Urteil bedeutet nicht nur mir viel, sondern auch vielen anderen Opfern aus Syrien und aus anderen Ländern. Es hat mir gezeigt, dass wir nicht alleine sind."

The verdict is part of a series of proceedings with which the German judiciary prosecutes crimes during the Syrian civil war. The Federal Prosecutor's Office had classified the case as an attempted homicide offense and pursued it with a conviction for war crimes.

Significance for the Prosecution of Crimes in Syria

With the BGH's decision, the conviction is now final. An appeal was rejected as unfounded. The verdict is thus considered concluded.

The proceedings are considered an important precedent for the criminal prosecution of violent crimes committed during the Syrian civil war. The German judiciary uses the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows the prosecution of the most serious crimes regardless of the location of the crime.

The exact wording of the BGH's decision and the specific sentence were not initially conclusively reported. The court referred to the reasoning of the Higher Regional Court of Koblenz.

Observers assess the decision as a signal that the German judiciary will continue to consistently prosecute crimes related to the Syrian civil war. The conviction of Ammar A. Alissa is part of proceedings against other members of the Assad regime.

With the confirmation of the verdict, a years-long criminal trial comes to an end, which has also continued the processing of atrocities of the Syrian civil war before German courts.

Mohamad Alissa and other co-plaintiffs had advocated for a complete clarification of the incidents in the proceedings. After the BGH's decision, the conviction against Ammar A. Alissa is considered final.

The responsible authorities see the proceedings as a sign of the enforcement of international criminal law. The BGH's decision strengthens jurisprudence against accomplices of international crimes.