Yesterday, The Nuhanovic Foundation’s Director Hope Rikkelman appeared on German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) to discuss a significant ruling in international criminal justice: the conviction of Alaa M., a Syrian doctor found guilty by a German court of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes in Syrian military hospitals.

Alaa M., who had been practicing as a doctor in Germany after seeking asylum in 2015, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt for killing two people and torturing nine others. Over the course of the trial, which began in 2022, survivors and witnesses testified that between 2011 and 2012, Alaa M. brutally tortured detainees in military hospitals in Homs and Damascus, where political opponents detained by the government were brought for treatment. Know more about the case here.

In her interview with DW, Hope Rikkelman provided insight into how Germany’s application of universal jurisdiction made this case possible. She explained that under this principle, German courts can prosecute individuals for the most serious international crimes, such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, regardless of where those crimes were committed or the nationality of the accused or victims.

Hope also placed the case in a broader context, noting a growing trend across Europe where universal jurisdiction is being used to pursue accountability for atrocities in Syria. Several European countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, are increasingly using national courts and the principle of universal jurisdiction to prosecute international crimes, offering a crucial pathway for survivors seeking justice, accountability, and reparation.

Watch the full DW segment featuring Hope Rikkelman below:

To view all the cases supported by The Nuhanovic Foundation, click here.