Despite the lockdown procedures in Germany, the trial of the #Syria-n Col. Anwar Raslan, the head of the investigation team in the #Damascus-based State Security branch – 251, “the internal branch” or al-Khatib branch, will go as expected on April 23rd.

Col. Raslan has been charged with crimes against humanity (incl. the torture of 4000 detainees), rape and 59 murders during his time in al-Khatib Branch (Apr. 2011 – Sep. 2012). Raslan will be the first (and hopefully not the last) #Syria-n regime official to be tried in court.

In 2013, Raslan has officially defected from the #Syria-n intelligence and escaped to Jordan, where he was praised by some opposition figures. In summer 2014, after he attended a UN meeting in Geneva, he and his family went to Germany, where they were granted an asylum.

It was only till Feb. 2019, after relentless campaigns by diaspora-based #Syria-n CSOs and legal entities, Col. Raslan was finally apprehended by German police.

Anawar Raslan’s story raises four points: 1) “defection” doesn’t mean “impunity” from previous crimes, 2) some opposition figures are willing to trade justice for some narrow political gains, 3) Syrian CSOs are the true seekers of justice and accountability, and …

… my grandmother was always right when she used to tell me “your right cannot be lost as long as you keep demanding it” – a Syrian proverb: "ما بيضيع حق وراه مطالب"

before the trial of Raslan in front of the Higher Regional Court of Koblenz, #Germany for crimes against humanity in #Syria. Please take a look at Yasser Karmi's testimony about his time in the al-Khatib branch (from @VDC_Syria): http://shorturl.at/anK46 

Look, you can be cynical or even dismissive as much as you want. but the fact is, for us Syrians, this is the first time we see a regime official in court, behind bars, looking small and undignified. it brought tears to my eyes. A small step towards justice and accountability.