THE HAGUE — The District Court of The Hague convicted a 58-year-old Syrian national, identified publicly as Rafiq al Q., of crimes against humanity. He received a sentence of 26 years in prison. The conviction addresses torture and rape committed between 2013 and 2014 against opponents of former President Bashar al-Assad.

Rafiq al Q. stood trial in April on charges that included torture, sexual abuse, and rape. Judges determined he served as an interrogator for the National Defense Force, a group aligned with the former administration of Bashar al-Assad, between 2013 and 2014. Evidence presented during the trial showed that al Q. beat detainees, suspended them upside down, and administered electric shocks at detention centers in Salamiyah. Dutch privacy regulations allow for the defendant to be publicly identified only as Rafiq al Q.

The District Court of The Hague stated, "The defendant was also guilty of sexually abusing multiple victims. He raped one of them." The court's ruling added, "The defendant repeatedly subjected the victims to conditions of extreme fear, threats, pain, hopelessness, and powerlessness. During the court hearings, the victims gave compelling testimonies about the impact this had on them and the consequences they continue to suffer to this day."

al Q. denied involvement in the alleged crimes, accusing the victims and police of conspiracy. The court acquitted him on several charges due to insufficient evidence. He made no statement during the sentencing hearing.

al Q. requested asylum in the Netherlands in 2021 and resided in Druten prior to his arrest in 2023. The prosecution relied on universal jurisdiction, a legal framework permitting charges for international offenses committed outside the prosecuting state. Both prosecutors and the defendant have a 14-day window to file appeals regarding the conviction and sentence.