First Syria torture trial opens in Germany
A suspected Syrian government agent -- charged with overseeing torture in his home country -- arrives at a German court.
Lawyers believe this is the first trial, anywhere in the world, for alleged war crimes by Bashar al-Assad's government.
Named Eyad A., he hid his face under his jacket as he sat in a glass cubicle put up by the court in Koblenz because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The other suspect, Anwar R., is charged with 58 murders in a Damascus prison, where prosecutors say at least 4,000 opposition activists were tortured in 2011 and 2012.
At least one rape and multiple sexual assaults were among the charges. German prosecutors say he oversaw interrogations.
The former intelligence officer applied for asylum in Germany six years ago after leaving Syria.
Eyad A., who arrived in Germany in 2018, is charged with facilitating the torture of at least 30 opposition activists.
Observing the trial was prominent Syrian lawyer Anwar Al-Bunni:
SOUNDBITE) (English) SYRIAN LAWYER AND TRIAL OBSERVER, ANWAR AL-BUNNI, SAYING:"Now, everything changed. There is no way to have immunity or to escape from punishment. Immunity time is over for all of them and for sure, all of them feel worried now..."
Protesters held signs outside reading: 'Assad's Syria is a torture state' and 'Assad to The Hague'.
German prosecutors have brought the case under laws that allow Germany to try crimes against humanity committed anywhere in the world.
Attempts to set up an international tribunal for Syria have so far been blocked at the U.N. security council by China and Russia, a close ally of Assad's leadership.
The Syrian government denies it tortures prisoners.
