Former Syrian colonel Salem Al-Salem has appeared in a London court charged with crimes against humanity, the first prosecution of its kind in England and Wales.
The 58-year-old faces three counts of murder as a crime against humanity, three of torture, and one of conduct ancillary to murder. The charges relate to his alleged role in the Syrian government's crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Damascus in 2011.
Al-Salem, who fled to the UK, is accused of leading a group that attempted to suppress demonstrations in Jobar, a village on the outskirts of the capital. He allegedly killed three victims as part of a 'widespread or systematic attack' against civilians and tortured three others between August 2011 and March 2012.
Appearing via video link at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, Al-Salem had a breathing tube over his mouth and was said to have motor neurone disease. The chief magistrate refused his lawyer's request for reporting restrictions, stating that naming the defendant would not lead to enhanced risk.
The Crown Prosecution Service brought the charges under the International Criminal Court Act 2001. Al-Salem was arrested in Buckinghamshire in 2021 and remains under curfew. The case will continue at the Old Bailey on Friday.
