COPENHAGEN: At least seven people have been arrested in Sweden and Germany on suspicion of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes in Syria in 2012-2014, authorities in the two countries stated on Wednesday.
In a coordinated operation involving Eurojust, Europol, and several other European countries, four suspects were apprehended in Germany, while three others were detained in Sweden.
The German federal prosecutor stated that those arrested in Germany are accused of “killing and attempting to kill civilians,” with some also facing allegations of torture. The suspects were reportedly affiliated with the Free Palestine Movement, an armed militia operating in Syria since early 2011. German authorities withheld their full names in accordance with privacy regulations.
According to German prosecutors, the suspects were active in controlling the mostly Palestinian district of Al-Yarmouk in Damascus on behalf of the Syrian regime. The area was subjected to a severe blockade by the Syrian regime from July 2013 onwards, resulting in acute shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
Among the crimes alleged, all suspects are accused of participating in a violent crackdown on a peaceful anti-government protest in Al-Yarmouk on July 13, 2012. The crackdown specifically targeted civilian protesters, resulting in the deaths of six persons and causing serious injuries to others, as per the German federal prosecutor’s statement.
Furthermore, it is alleged that some suspects subjected civilians in Al-Yarmouk to severe and repeated abuse during the period between mid-2012 and 2014. In one instance, an individual was reportedly handed over to the Syrian Military Intelligence Service, where he was allegedly tortured. In another disturbing incident, a woman was purportedly coerced into surrendering her family’s jewels in exchange for the release of her minor son and faced threats of sexual assault.
In Germany, the arrests were made in Berlin, Frankenthal, and near Boizenburg, covering southwestern and northeastern regions. Additionally, authorities conducted a search at the residence of another suspect in the western city of Essen, although that suspect was not apprehended.
The suspects are scheduled to appear before an investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice, where their arrest warrants will be read, and decisions on pre-trial detention will be made. The arraignment proceedings are set for Monday and Tuesday, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Meanwhile, in Sweden, the Prosecution Authority did not disclose specific details regarding the three individuals arrested in connection with the same investigation. The authority stated that a decision on whether they should be detained or released must be made by noon on Saturday.
