Syrian Official Convicted in Netherlands for War Crimes
58-year-old Syrian man sentenced to 26 years for torture and rape under Dutch law. Rafiq served as interrogator for Syrian National Defense Forces in Salamiyah, 2013-2014. Trial used universal jurisdiction to prosecute international war crimes abroad. Defendant arrested in Netherlands after 2021 asylum application. Verdict highlights Assad-era abuse in Syrian detention centers. Similar cases in Germany and Paris as Syrian officials face global prosecution