LONDON (AP) — A former Syrian air force colonel faced a novel set of charges in a British court Tuesday: three counts of murder as a crime against humanity for civilian attacks in a Damascus suburb in 2011.
It’s the first time prosecutors have brought such a case in the United Kingdom, authorized under the International Criminal Court Act of 2001.
Salem al-Salem, 58, appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court by video link from his British home. He was slumped in an armchair with a breathing tube and was not required to state his name during the proceedings because of his condition from motor neuron disease.
He did not enter a plea.
Al-Salem was part of a Syrian Air Force Intelligence group assigned to suppress demonstrations in the Damascus suburb of Jobar in 2011, prosecutors said.
The Syrian government was accused at the time of carrying out a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators who took to the streets during the Arab Spring uprising to protest former President Bashar Assad’s authoritarian leadership.
Prosecutors said in court papers al-Salem was responsible for killing three people “as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population.”
He is charged with murder in the deaths of Omar Al-Homsi, Nizar Fayoumi-AlKhatib and Talhat Dalal in April and July 2011.
He faces a count of conduct ancillary to murder in the death of Mohammed Salim Zahrak Balik.
Al-Salem is also charged with torturing three other people as part of his official duties between August 2011 and March 2012.
“It is alleged that Mr. al-Salem led a group of militants tasked with quelling the demonstrations in the Jobar area,” prosecutors said. “The demonstrations mostly occurred on Fridays after noon prayers.”
British prosecutors can bring charges for some international offenses, including crimes against humanity and torture, even if they were committed outside the country.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring rejected a request by defense lawyers to shield Al-Salem’s identity after the Press Association objected.
Goldspring said that naming al-Salem did not increase the risk to him.
“The mere fact the offense might rise in people strong feelings of hostility and concern is not, and never has been, sufficient for the principle of open justice to be derogated down to the press not being able to report information the public is entitled to,” Goldspring said.
Al-Salem was released on bail and ordered to stay at home after the judge determined he was not a flight risk due to his health condition.
The case was transferred to the Central Criminal Court for a hearing Friday.