Shortly before the planned visit of Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa to Berlin, a criminal complaint has been filed with the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe for crimes against international law. The complaint was marked “urgent.”
Necdal Disli, a lawyer of Kurdish origin, filed the complaint on the basis of the German Code of Crimes against International Law (VStGB). It is directed against al-Sharaa in his capacity as former commander of the jihadist militia “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (HTS) and as the current head of state of the Syrian transitional government in Damascus.
Charges: Genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity
According to the criminal complaint, there is “strong evidence” that al-Sharaa is responsible for a series of serious international crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The complaint refers, among other things, to massacres of Alawites, Druze, and Kurds, systematic expulsions, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
The legal basis for the criminal complaint is the principle of universal jurisdiction. Under the VStGB, German law enforcement authorities can take action in cases of particularly serious crimes such as war crimes or genocide, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrators or the location of the crime. The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe had already initiated investigations in earlier cases related to Syria, including against members of the Assad regime.
References to reports, witness statements, and investigations
In the criminal complaint, Oldenburg-based lawyer Necdal Disli refers to a variety of publicly available sources, including reports from human rights organizations, witness statements, and materials from international investigations. The complaint argues that al-Sharaa, in his leadership role, was responsible for serious crimes or at least shared responsibility for them.
The request is related to a complaint filed in November 2025 by Kurdish organizations that had made similar allegations. It remains unclear whether the Federal Prosecutor’s Office will launch an investigation or respond in any other way. The authority has yet to issue a statement.
Al-Sharaa to visit Berlin on Monday
Al-Sharaa is scheduled to arrive in Berlin on Monday and meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) on Tuesday. The visit will be accompanied by protests from various groups accusing the self-proclaimed Syrian president of serious human rights violations.