Khaberni - A Syrian man appeared before a court in the Netherlands today, Wednesday, accused of crimes against humanity including the torture and rape of prisoners when he was a member of an armed faction supporting the regime of the deposed president Bashar al-Assad.
The 57-year-old Syrian, who was identified only as "Rafik A," faces 25 charges of committing crimes against humanity, including torture, sexual violence, and rape against nine people over more than 10 years.
In court, Rafik spoke today through a translator and denied the charges against him, stating that those who say they are his victims and representatives of the public prosecution have conspired against him.
Rafik added before the court panel consisting of three judges on the first day of the trial that what his accusers claim that he assaulted them is not true.
The case marks the first time a court in the Netherlands is examining charges related to the commission of atrocities in Syria by regime-supporting forces. It is also the first time that Dutch prosecution has classified sexual violence as a crime against humanity.
The trial sessions are expected to continue until the end of May, with the verdict scheduled for June 9th. If Rafik is convicted of crimes against humanity, he could face a life sentence.
According to Dutch prosecutors, Rafik headed the interrogation unit of the "National Defense Force" in the city of Salamiyah, Syria, in 2013 and 2014. The National Defense Force was an armed faction fighting alongside Assad's forces, who was overthrown in December 2024.
In December 2023, Dutch police arrested Rafik, who arrived in the Netherlands in 2021 as an asylum seeker.
Under the principle of universal jurisdiction, Dutch law broadly allows the judicial pursuit of foreigners for crimes committed in other countries if the perpetrators or some of the victims are within Dutch territory.
