Germany upholds life sentence in Syria war crimes case

Germany’s Federal Court of Justice has upheld a life sentence against Ammar A., who was convicted of killing, torturing, and forcibly displacing civilians in Busra al-Sham while leading armed groups linked to Hezbollah.

Germany upholds life sentence in Syria war crimes case
8 August, 2026   20:54
NEWS DESK

The German Federal Court of Justice upheld the life sentence against Ammar A. after finding him guilty of serious violations against civilians in the city of Busra al-Sham, in the Daraa countryside, while he was leading armed fighters linked to Hezbollah.

The crimes attributed to him included the killing and torture of civilians and the forced displacement of residents, according to the findings of the investigation and trial.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the ruling comes under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows German courts to prosecute individuals accused of international crimes regardless of where the crimes were committed or the nationality of the victims and defendants.

a.k

ANHA