Man in UK charged with crimes against humanity in Syria.
A man has been charged with murder as a crime against humanity and torture, linked to attacks against civilians in Syria in 2011.
The charges against the 58-year-old Syrian national, who now lives in the UK, relate to his time working in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence in Damascus.
It is the first prosecution of its kind in the UK, after an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing’s War Crimes Unit.
The man is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
He has not been named because his lawyers intend to ask the court to prevent the reporting of his identity.
The man has been charged with three counts of murder as a crime against humanity, three counts of torture, and one offence of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity.
It is alleged that in his role, the man led a group tasked with quelling demonstrations in the suburbs of Damascus.
It marks the first time the CPS has brought charges of murder as crimes against humanity under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
Cdr Helen Flanagan, who leads Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “The charges are extremely serious and show that we fully support the UK’s ‘no safe haven’ policy in relation alleged war criminals.
“Where we are presented with allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity that fall within our jurisdiction, then, as we have shown here, we will not hesitate to investigate those rigorously and robustly.”
The Met said the investigation began in November 2020 after counter-terrorism police received a referral containing allegations relating to a man when he was serving in the Syrian armed forces in the early 2010s.
The man was arrested in December 2021 after officers from the War Crimes Unit visited an address in Buckinghamshire, where they also carried out a search.
