LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) – A former member of Syria’s Air Force Intelligence has been charged in Britain with crimes against humanity in suppressing pro-democracy demonstrations in Damascus in 2011 at the start of what became the Syrian civil war.
The 58-year-old man, who now lives in Britain, has been charged with seven offences under a British law that allows the prosecution of serious international crimes committed abroad, the Crown Prosecution Service said on Monday.
The charges include three counts of murder as a crime against humanity, three counts of torture and one offence of conduct ancillary to murder.
The suspect, who was first detained in 2021, is accused of leading a group ordered to suppress protests in the Jobar district, east of central Damascus.
The CPS said it was the first time it had brought charges of murder as crimes against humanity. In 2005, Afghan warlord Faryadi Zardad was convicted by a British court of torture that had taken place in Afghanistan.
“The charges are extremely serious and show that we fully support the UK’s ‘no safe haven’ policy in relation to alleged war criminals,” said Helen Flanagan, a commander who leads London’s counter-terrorism police.
The Metropolitan Police said its complex investigation had been carried out together with international partners.
The man is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. His name was not disclosed as his lawyers intended to seek a reporting restriction.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
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