Prosecutors in the Netherlands on Wednesday requested a 30-year prison sentence for a 58-year-old Syrian man, identified in court records as Rafik A., who stands accused of serious human rights violations while serving with a pro-government militia in Syria.
Rafik A. faces 25 charges in total, including counts of torture, sexual violence and rape as crimes against humanity. The charges relate to alleged abuses committed against nine victims during 2013 and 2014. The defendant has repeatedly denied any participation in the crimes alleged by prosecutors.
The case is notable for two firsts in the Dutch legal system. It is the first prosecution in the Netherlands addressing alleged atrocity crimes committed in Syria by forces that supported the government of former president Bashar al-Assad. It is also the first time Dutch prosecutors have included sexual violence among charges brought as crimes against humanity.
Witness testimony at the trial described severe physical and psychological harm attributed to the defendant. One survivor said the experience left enduring trauma, recounting that he entered detention as a child and later emerged deeply affected. That witness told the court: "Not only did he tear my body apart, but he trampled on my soul. He was the worst nightmare of my life."
According to prosecutors, Rafik A. led the interrogation unit of the National Defence Forces (NDF) in Salamiyah during 2013 and 2014. The NDF is identified in court documents as a militia that fought on the side of the Assad government, which was removed from power in December 2024.
Rafik A. was arrested in the Netherlands in 2023. Court records state he had lived for several years in the country as an asylum seeker prior to his arrest. Dutch law permits prosecution of foreign nationals for crimes committed abroad under the principle of universal jurisdiction when either the alleged perpetrators or some of the victims are present in the Netherlands.
Legal teams for both the prosecution and the defence are due to present their closing arguments on Thursday. The court has scheduled a verdict for June 9.
Other European jurisdictions have also pursued cases related to alleged abuses by officials from the Assad era, with prosecutions brought in countries including Germany.