security official

Anwar Raslan

أنور رسلان

Also known as: Anwar R. • Abu Tariq

Journeys

Anwar Raslan: From Torturer to Convicted War Criminal

Anwar Raslan's conviction in Germany in January 2022 under universal jurisdiction was a watershed moment for accountability in the Syrian conflict. For the first time, a Syrian security official was convicted by a court of law for the systematic torture committed in Assad's prisons. This journey documents both his crimes and the unprecedented legal process that convicted him.

Biography

Anwar Raslan was the head of investigations at Branch 251 (State Security Damascus), Syria's most notorious torture facility. He defected from the Assad regime in 2012, eventually reaching Germany where he applied for asylum. In January 2022, the Koblenz Higher Regional Court convicted him of crimes against humanity — 4,000 counts of torture and 58 murders — and sentenced him to life imprisonment. It was the first conviction anywhere in the world of a Syrian government official for systematic torture.

Documentation Status

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Journeys1

Key Facts

Born:1963

Place:Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Nationality:Syrian