German Court Sentences Syrian Doctor to Life for Crimes Against Humanity

A Syrian doctor, Alaa Mousa, has been sentenced to life in prison by a German court. The conviction stems from crimes against humanity committed during the Syrian civil war, specifically involving the torture of detainees at military hospitals under the rule of Bashar al-Assad. The presiding judge emphasized that Mousa's actions were part of the "brutal reaction" of Assad's regime.

The charges against Mousa centered on his actions at military hospitals in Damascus and Homs between 2011 and 2012. He was accused of torturing patients on numerous occasions. Specific allegations included setting fire to a teenage boy's genitals and administering a lethal injection to a detainee who resisted a beating. The court found him guilty of murder, torture, and war crimes, in addition to crimes against humanity.

Mousa maintained his innocence throughout the trial, which concluded after Assad was deposed. He had arrived in Germany in 2015 on a visa for skilled workers, coinciding with the influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war. He continued to practice medicine in Germany as an orthopaedic doctor until his arrest in June 2020.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Mousa worked at military hospitals where political opponents were brought for treatment. Instead of receiving medical care, these patients were subjected to torture and, in many instances, killed. One specific case involved Mousa allegedly pouring flammable liquid on a prisoner's wounds, setting them on fire, and then kicking him in the face.

The court heard testimony from colleagues and former detainees. One witness described the military hospital in Damascus as a "slaughterhouse." Mousa admitted to witnessing beatings but denied personally striking patients. He claimed he was too afraid of the military police to intervene.