A Syrian man has become the first person in the UK to be charged with crimes against humanity.
The man, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, is accused of leading the suppression of anti-government demonstrations during the start of the Syrian Civil War in April 2011.
The crimes are said to have taken place during former Syrian President Bashar Hafez al-Assad's tumultuous tenure.
The 58-year-old was on Monday charged with three counts of murder as a crime against humanity (CAH), three counts of torture, and one offence of conduct ancillary to murder as a CAH.
The investigation was launched by Scotland Yard after a referral in November 2020.
The referral included accusations over the suspect's conduct while serving in the Syrian armed forces in Damascus in 2011.
Following a search of a property in Buckinghamshire, police arrested him in December 2021.
He was subsequently released on bail before being charged with the seven offences.
The man, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, is accused of leading the suppression of anti-government demonstrations during the start of the Syrian Civil War in April 2011
|GETTY
The suspect is due to appear at Westminster magistrates’ court on Tuesday.
Head of Counter-Terrorism Policing London, Commander Helen Flanagan, said: "This has been an incredibly complex and challenging investigation, involving enquiries across many countries.
"This has required close cooperation with a number of international partners, as well as our colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service [CPS].
"The charges are extremely serious and show that we fully support the UK’s 'no safe haven' policy in relation to alleged war criminals.
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"Where we are presented with allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity that fall within our jurisdiction, then, as we have shown here, we will not hesitate to investigate those rigorously and robustly."
Bethan David, head of the CPS's counter-terrorism division, added:
"We have determined that a 58-year-old man should be prosecuted with charges of murder as a crime against humanity, and torture.
"Our prosecutors have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to bring seven offences under the International Criminal Court Act 2001 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
"We have worked closely with the War Crimes Team at the Metropolitan Police Service as they carried out their investigation.
"As always, we remind all concerned that proceedings against this defendant are active and that he has a right to a fair trial.
"It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings."
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