Press release regarding the verdict against the accused, Rafiq Q.

On June 15, 2026, the Dutch National Court in The Hague sentenced the accused, Rafiq Q., to twenty-six years in prison. He was convicted of crimes against humanity and war crimes—including torture and sexual violence, such as rape.

This verdict marks the culmination of years of legal work. The Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research had been working on this case for over seven years, gathering testimonies from victims and survivors who tracked the accused’s movements from the time he left Syria for Europe. After he settled in the Netherlands, the Center notified the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Dutch police unit specializing in international crimes in late 2021, prompting the opening of an official investigation. Investigations continued until his arrest in December 2023. Subsequently, throughout 2024 and 2025, the investigating judge heard testimony from numerous victims and witnesses—including lawyer Anwar Albuni, head of the Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research, who testified in early 2026. The investigations resulted in an indictment comprising 24 charges related to torture, sexual violence, rape, and the extortion of detainees’ families. Public trial hearings began on April 8, 2026, and continued through the end of May, leading to today’s verdict.

Prior to the Syrian revolution, the accused worked as a court clerk at the Salamiyah Court in Hama Governorate. Following the start of the revolution, he joined the National Defense militias—forces established by the Assad regime to suppress Syrian demands for freedom, dignity, and justice.
Between 2012 and 2014, he served as an interrogator for those militias, facing accusations of committing widespread violations against detainees—including systematic torture and the extortion of their families—as well as sexual violence against several women and the rape of at least three women.

Commenting on the verdict, Ahmed Dahman, one of the accused victims, said: “When Rafiq al-Qatrib was torturing me while I was suspended in a stress position, I lost faith in justice—both for myself and for the other detainees and the missing.
But today, I feel a profound sense of relief—a feeling I hope every victim and every person who has endured suffering gets to experience. The justice achieved today serves as a lesson to every jailer and every dictator who relies on violence to confront the people’s demands.
However, I had hoped this trial would take place in Syria so that all victims could attend, and that justice would extend to all other victims and perpetrators. Unfortunately, it seems the path to justice in Syria still lags far behind.”

While welcoming the court’s decision, the Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research extends its gratitude to the Dutch Public Prosecution Office, the police unit specializing in international crimes, the investigating judge, the court panel, and the victims’ lawyers for the immense effort they dedicated to this case over the years.

The Center also honors the memory of the victims who did not live to see this day and pays tribute to the survivors, witnesses, and victims’ families who bore significant emotional and material burdens throughout the years of litigation and investigation, contributing through their courage and determination to achieve this outcome.

No peace without justice.
No to impunity.
No safe haven for criminals.