Ex-Syrian colonel appears in UK court on charges of crimes against humanity

The Guardian - World NewsEN 2 min read 100% complete by Geneva AbdulMarch 10, 2026 at 03:10 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Former Syrian Colonel Salem Al-Salem appeared in a UK court facing charges of crimes against humanity, marking the first such prosecution in England and Wales under the International Criminal Court Act 2001. Al-Salem is accused of murder and torture during the Syrian government's crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Damascus in 2011. The charges relate to the deaths of four individuals in April and July 2011, and the torture of three others between August 2011 and March 2012, when Al-Salem was a colonel in the Syrian air force intelligence department. Arrested in Buckinghamshire in 2021, Al-Salem is currently on bail with a 24-hour curfew due to motor neurone disease. Despite his health condition, the court denied his lawyer's request for reporting restrictions to protect his identity.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Paul Goldspring 30% Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) ×230% Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) 40% Damascus ×250% Bashar al-Assad 60% United Kingdom ×270% Syria ×280% Salem Al-Salem ×7100%

Keywords

crimes against humanity 100% syria 90% torture 80% murder 80% pro-democracy demonstrations 70% uk court 60% civil war 60% prosecution 50% international criminal court act 40%