Syrian doctor found guilty of torture, gets life sentence in Germany

German court on Monday sentenced Syrian doctor Alaa M. to life in prison for torturing opponents of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, following a trial that lasted more than three years in Frankfurt.

Alaa M., whose full name was withheld due to German privacy laws, arrived in Germany in 2015 and worked as an orthopedic surgeon until his arrest in 2020. He was identified by fellow Syrian refugees, who testified that he had previously worked in military hospitals in Damascus and Homs.

The 40-year-old doctor had denied all charges, claiming he was the target of a conspiracy. However, the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court found him guilty after hearing testimony from around 50 witnesses, victims, and legal experts over the course of 186 hearings since the trial began in January 2022.

Alaa M. was accused of committing torture while working at a military prison and hospitals in Homs and Damascus in 2011 and 2012. Prosecutors charged him with more than a dozen counts of torture, including the killing of a detainee. He was also accused of performing bone surgery without adequate anesthesia and attempting to deprive two prisoners of their reproductive capacity.

This is the first life sentence issued in a case involving state-sponsored torture by Syrians since Assad was ousted in December 2024. Germany has previously prosecuted several former Syrian officials using the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows crimes against humanity to be tried regardless of where they occurred.

Alaa M. worked at the notorious Mezzeh 601 military hospital in Damascus, long known for its role in the regime’s torture network. According to Human Rights Watch, the hospital’s morgue and courtyard appeared in leaked photos smuggled out of Syria by a former military photographer known by the pseudonym Caesar, revealing systematic abuse of civilians.

Alaa M. has been held in custody since his arrest in June 2020. His sentencing marks a significant milestone in international efforts to hold perpetrators of war crimes in Syria accountable.