Prosecutors seek 30-year sentence for Syrian man over alleged crimes against humanity
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has recommended a 30-year prison sentence for Rafik A., accusing him of torture, abuse, sexual violence, and rape in Syria in 2013 and 2014. The prosecutor said the impact of the alleged atrocities on the victims is “beyond comprehension.”
A., 58, is alleged to have held a senior role in the National Defence Force (NDF), a militia linked to the regime of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Prosecutors say he acted as an interrogator and subjected victims to severe abuse, including beatings with cables, hanging, and electric shocks. According to the prosecutor, “he ruled the interrogation room.”
He is also accused of committing sexual violence during interrogations, with one victim reportedly raped by the suspect. The charges are being brought as crimes against humanity, an international offence. It marks the first time someone in the Netherlands is being prosecuted on this basis. Nine victims in the case have provided statements describing A.’s alleged role, in many cases in detailed and extensive testimony.
Some witnesses returned to Syria and documented the locations where they say they were held, using recordings to support their testimonies. The case against A. is also based in part on documents originating from the Syrian security services.
A. fled Syria in 2019 and came to the Netherlands in 2021, where he was granted temporary asylum. He was arrested in December 2023 in Druten, Gelderland, after authorities received a tip. He denies all allegations and says he opposed the Assad regime. At the opening of his trial, A. described the case against him as a “conspiracy.”
During the prosecution’s closing statement, the defendant repeatedly interrupted the prosecutors and objected to what was being said. At one point, A. said he refused to keep listening to the prosecution, calling it a “torture hearing” for him. The court then instructed him to remain present and listen to the sentencing recommendation.
The proceedings are set to resume on Thursday with the defence presenting its closing arguments.
Reporting by ANP
