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German Court Overturns Appeal for Releasing Ex-Syria Intelligence Officer

A satellite view of part of the Sednaya prison complex near Damascus, Syria. Department of State/via REUTERS
A satellite view of part of the Sednaya prison complex near Damascus, Syria. Department of State/via REUTERS
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German Court Overturns Appeal for Releasing Ex-Syria Intelligence Officer

A satellite view of part of the Sednaya prison complex near Damascus, Syria. Department of State/via REUTERS
A satellite view of part of the Sednaya prison complex near Damascus, Syria. Department of State/via REUTERS

The German Federal Court on Tuesday decided to send back a former Syrian intelligence officer in prison after having been acquitted in an earlier appeal, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) reported.

According to a German media outlet, the court overturned a previous decision to release the man from prison, issued back in May, and reinstated the February arrest warrant.

Strong suspicions still surround the defendant, who is facing charges of committing major crimes against humanity. On the other hand, the court amended grounds backing the arrest warrant from only “killing two people,” to also “torturing at least 30 others.”

On February 12, the 42-year-old suspect was arrested along with another Syrian man in on suspicion of committing crimes in Syria regime prison wards dedicated for torture.

This arrest provoked a stir at the time, as it was the first time German investigators had addressed war crimes in Syria. In parallel, a third Syrian intelligence officer was arrested in France.

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Turkish Top Diplomat Attends EU Meeting After 5 Years in Bid to Boost Ties

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan talks during a joint news conference with Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (not pictured) in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 14, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan talks during a joint news conference with Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (not pictured) in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 14, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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Turkish Top Diplomat Attends EU Meeting After 5 Years in Bid to Boost Ties

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan talks during a joint news conference with Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (not pictured) in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 14, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan talks during a joint news conference with Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (not pictured) in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 14, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Türkiye's foreign minister hopes to make progress on improving Ankara's rocky ties with the European Union on Thursday when he attends a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels for the first time in five years, a source from his ministry said.

Türkiye's two-decades-old bid to join the bloc has been frozen due to EU concerns over its human rights record alongside policy disputes in the eastern Mediterranean and over Cyprus.

At the same time, the bloc depends on NATO member Türkiye's help, particularly on migration issues.

Tensions in 2019 between EU-member Greece and Türkiye led to Brussels threatening sanctions against Ankara and cutting off some dialogue channels. Ties have improved since 2021, with high-level talks restarting.

Ankara saw the EU's invitation to Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan as an effort to seek dialogue, the foreign ministry source said. Deeper ties "with the understanding that Türkiye is a candidate country" would benefit both sides, they added.

Fidan will convey Türkiye's expectation that the "necessary will must be shown and concrete steps must be taken" to strengthen ties, the source said.

The meeting will include discussions on visas as well as modernizing the EU-Türkiye Customs Union, the source added.

Ankara has been calling for these talks to start for months, but little progress had been made.

Fidan will hold separate talks with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the bloc's commissioner for enlargement, Oliver Varhely, as well as his Greek, Spanish, Belgian, and Slovak counterparts, the source said.

Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East, the Southern Caucasus and other issues were also on the agenda, the source said.

The visit comes amid Ankara's repeated criticism of Western allies over what it calls their unconditional support of Israel in the war with Hamas in Gaza.