In a groundbreaking move, General Mohammed Hamo will stand trial in Europe for his alleged role in war crimes committed during the Syrian civil war in 2012.

The trial, set to commence in Stockholm on Monday, marks the first time such a senior Syrian military figure faces judicial proceedings in Europe, as reported by AFP.

Mohammed Hamo, a 65-year-old former Syrian brigadier general, currently resides in Sweden and stands accused of complicity and incitement to war crimes during the Syrian civil war, carrying the potential sentence of life imprisonment.

The conflict erupted between Bashar al-Assad’s regime and armed opposition groups after the government suppressed peaceful pro-democracy protests in 2011.

According to the indictment, Hamo allegedly provided advice and support to the Syrian army, which systematically carried out indiscriminate attacks on several cities and populated areas in the vicinity of Hama and Homs.

The charges relate to the period from January 1st to July 20th, 2012, with the trial expected to conclude by the end of May.

Prosecutors assert that the Syrian army’s actions included widespread aerial and ground attacks conducted by unidentified individuals within the ranks of the Syrian army. The accusations further claim that these strikes targeted civilian and military objectives without discrimination.

Hamo, in his capacity as a brigadier general and head of the armaments department, purportedly aided in coordinating and supplying weapons to units, ensuring the execution of orders at the operational level.

Several plaintiffs, including Syrians from these cities and a British photographer injured in one of the attacks, are scheduled to testify in court.

Aida Samani, senior legal advisor at the Civil Rights Defenders, remarked that this trial represents a significant legal precedent in Europe, addressing cases of indiscriminate attacks by the Syrian army. Hamo’s trial stands as a pivotal moment, being the highest-ranking military official to face European judicial scrutiny.

However, other European countries have also sought to indict even more senior members of the Syrian army. In March, the Swiss prosecutor charged Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of President Bashar al-Assad, with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Last November, France issued an international arrest warrant for Bashar al-Assad himself, accusing him of complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes linked to chemical attacks in 2013.

Main Image: By Voice of America News: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22023822

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