The U.S. Department of Justice has accused a former Syrian prison official of torturing detainees. The complaint alleges that the ex-official, Anwar R. Mohammad précis (formerly known as Anwar R. Mohammed), oversaw detention facilities in Syria around 2004, where he and his subordinates brutally tortured prisoners. This includes subjecting detainees to electric shocks, beating them, and forcing them into stress positions. Mohammad is said to have been involved in this torture regimen despite knowing that it was illegal under Syrian and international laws. The U.S. government seeks to revoke Mohammad’s naturalized U.S. citizenship and deport him to Syria.
Title: U.S. Accuses Ex-Syrian Prison Chief of Torture: Department of Justice Indictment
The U.S. Department of Justice has accused an ex-chief of a Syrian prison of torture and extrajudicial killing, in a significant step towards holding accountable those responsible for war crimes during Syria’s decade-long civil war.
The Accusation
Anwar Raslan, a former colonel in Syria’s intelligence agency, was indicted on June 16, 2021, by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia. The 63-page indictment alleges that between 2011 and 2012, Raslan oversaw systematic torture, rape, and murder at the Al-Khatib, or Branch 251, prison in Damascus, Syria.
Raslan, who was arrested by German authorities in 2019 and is currently in custody in Berlin, is accused of personally participating in and directing the abuse of detainees, including subjects to so-called "shabeh" (interrogation) – a term for the kind of severe torture that has been reported in Syria, such as beating with electrical cables. He is also charged with supervising logistics for a convoy that transported detainees from the prison to a military airport, where they were murdered and buried in a mass grave.
The U.S. Assists German Prosecution
While Raslan is in German custody, the U.S. indictment assists the German prosecution by providing additional evidence and legal basis for the charges against him. It also sends a strong message that the U.S. is committed to justice for the victims of war crimes in Syria.
U.S. Universal Jurisdiction
The U.S. has based its jurisdiction in this case on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows countries to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, wherever they were committed. This principle is embedded in international law and provides a legal framework for the U.S. to pursue and prosecute such crimes.
The Search for Justice
The indictment of Anwar Raslan is a notable development in the quest for justice in Syria. Tens of thousands of people have disappeared in Syrian prisons, and many have died under torture. While there have been some prosecutions in Europe, this is the first time a Syrian official has been indicted by a U.S. court.
The process of achieving justice for these crimes is complex and lengthy. However, the U.S. indictment provides renewed hope for victims and survivors, sending a message that even those responsible for the most heinous crimes may one day face justice.
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