A German court last month convicted an alleged former Syrian intelligence officer after he was charged with crimes against humanity perpetrated in his home country.
The case set the stage for the first prosecution for torture by suspected members of the government’s notorious security services and the case was closely watched by those seeking justice for victims of international crimes committed since the Syrian war erupted in 2011.
International crimes are crimes that are so serious they affect the international community as a whole. They include war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
In a September 2019 report, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria said Syrian government forces backed by Russian warplanes may have committed war crimes, citing two incidents in Idlib province earlier this year.