Facts
In 2011, the Syrian regime brutally repressed opponents’ demonstrations, giving rise to the beginning of the present armed conflict. Various armed groups, including Hezbollah, aligned themselves with the Syrian government.
Ammar A. was an alleged member of the local Hezbollah militia in the Syrian town of Busra al-Sham between 2012 and 2013. In August 2012, reportedly acting under the suspect’s directives, he and other members of Hezbollah allegedly forcibly broke into the houses of civilians and stole numerous items before setting the houses ablaze. The residents endured physical abuse and one person succumbed to a gunshot wound.
In April 2013, Ammar A., along with other Hezbollah members, allegedly arrested a civilian in Busra al-Sham and hit him several times before delivering him and two other prisoners to military intelligence personnel in another city. The military secret service employees beat the three victims with electrical cables, allegedly in the presence of the suspect. The victims were then held captive in the military intelligence prison for several weeks in inhumane conditions and were subjected to severe physical abuse by prison guards.
Procedure
On 27 November 2023, the Federal Court of Justice issued an arrest warrant against Ammar A. for the crimes against humanity of torture and deprivation of liberty and for war crimes against persons and property.
On 12 December 2023, Ammar A. was arrested in the Rhein-Neckar district. The Federal Court of Justice ordered him to be placed in pre-trial detention.
The indictment was issued in July 2024 and the trial commenced on 15 October 2024 at the Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart.
On 3 June 2025, the Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart sentenced Ammar A. to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity by killing, forcible transfer resulting in death, torture and deprivation of liberty as well as war crimes against persons and property.