THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Syrian national accused of crimes against humanity was sentenced on Monday to 26 years in prison by a Dutch court for the torture and rape of imprisoned opponents of the government of former president Bashar Assad during the civil war.
The man, identified only as Rafiq al Q. due to Dutch privacy regulations, went on trial in April facing charges including torture, sexual abuse and rape. The 58-year-old denied being involved and accused alleged victims and police of conspiring against him.
The sentence handed down by the District Court of The Hague is the latest against Syrian suspects in different countries since Assad was toppled from power in a decisive rebel offensive in December 2024 that followed years of grinding civil war. Assad fled Syria to longtime ally Russia.
The cases have cast light on the widespread killings and abuse in dozens of detention centers across Syria while Assad was in power. Torture, brutality, sexual violence and mass executions were rampant, according to activists, rights group and former prisoners.
The judges ruled that Rafiq al Q. was a member of the pro-Assad National Defense Force and between 2013 and 2014 worked as an interrogator for the paramilitary group during Syria’s civil war. They said that saying evidence showed he was responsible for torturing people held at detention centers in Salamiyah, including beating them, suspending them upside down and administering electric shocks.
“The defendant was also guilty of sexually abusing multiple victims. He raped one of them,” the court said in a summary of its verdict. “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.”
Wearing a striped shirt and sitting next to his lawyer with guards standing nearby, Rafiq al Q. appeared to make no comment as he was convicted and sentenced. He was acquitted on a number of charges where judges ruled there was insufficient evidence.
Rafiq al Q. claimed asylum in the Netherlands in 2021 and was living in the eastern town of Druten when he was arrested in 2023.
His trial was based on universal jurisdiction, a legal principle that allows suspects to be prosecuted for international offenses such as war crimes even if they are committed in another country.
Prosecutors and the defendant have 14 days to appeal the conviction and sentence.
The Dutch are not alone in prosecuting Syrians linked to the former Assad government.
Last year, a German court sentenced a Syrian doctor to life imprisonment for torture and war crimes in his Syrian homeland on Monday for killing two people and torturing nine in Syria between 2011 and 2012. And in 2024, a Paris court sentenced three high-ranking Syrian officials in absentia to life in prison for complicity in war crimes.
Syria also is seeking justice for crimes by officials loyal to Assad.
In April, the first public trial opened in Damascus of former government officials. Atef Najib, a former Syrian army brigadier general who was head of the Political Security Branch in southern Syria’s Daraa province under Assad and who is also a cousin of the former president, appeared in the courtroom to face charges related to “crimes against the Syrian people,” state-run news agency SANA reported.
FILE - Blankets used by prisoners as mattresses are seen at a detention facility run by military intelligence during former Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS
After years of preparation, a supersized World Cup has finally arrived. This year’s tournament is hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It was expanded to 48 teams that will play in 16 stadiums in a record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament — from June 11 to July 19. Mexico gets the World Cup started on Thursday and will be a heavy favorite when it hosts South Africa in Mexico City. The second game of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico. All four teams are part of Group A. Canada and the United States will host their first games on Friday.
READ SOME OF AP’S LATEST WORLD CUP COVERAGE
— AP Newsroom: FIFA World Cup
— World Cup what to know: Mexico kicks off a supersized, 48-team tournament
Still thinking about World Cup tickets? Here’s where prices, availability stand
PHOTO ESSAY: Soccer offers West Bank Palestinians an escape as the World Cup kicks off
FIFA’s Infantino defends World Cup ticket prices, says fans ‘should chill’ about ref denied US entry
US defender Chris Richards says he’s ready and eager for World Cup opener after ankle injury
Belgium winger Jérémy Doku expected to be available for his team’s World Cup opener against Egypt
Health sleuths are watching for disease threats during the World Cup
Guadalajara ramps up security and promises safe World Cup after cartel violence scare
At World Cup stadiums, there will be zero tolerance for drones because of the threat they pose
As FIFA entices a new generation of fans, a Brazil influencer’s platform will stream all 104 games
Somali soccer referee denied entry to US for World Cup is welcomed home as a hero
After troubled World Cup lead-in, UN human rights chief urges ‘rethink’ of US immigration policy
Pochettino says no Americans among top 100 players yet US can win World Cup
Bettors taking a chance on the longshot US in World Cup, though France and Spain remain favorites
A street in The Hague is drenched in orange as Netherlands soccer fans celebrate the World Cup
FIND PLAYERS WITH LOCAL TIES
View this spreadsheet to find MLS players who were competing for a spot on a FIFA World Cup Team. Those highlighted in green were selected for a squad. The second tab lists out the full roster of the U.S. men’s national team with positions, clubs, hometowns and schools.
And check out AP's Hometown Heroes interactive for MLS players in the World Cup and players on the U.S. men's team.
READ ADDITIONAL AP COVERAGE
Some host cities are aiming to house, not arrest, homeless people ahead of the World Cup
Stadium workers near LA say they have a tentative deal, averting strike ahead of World Cup
Iran soccer body claims fans’ tickets for World Cup games in the US have been revoked
Join the beaver hunt: Toronto neighborhood offers unique World Cup-themed scavenger hunt
Javier Aguirre’s final World Cup rescue: Mexico’s firefighter battles old tactical ghosts
Michael Olise could be France’s attacking star at the World Cup
It’s bigger. Is it better? A look at the differences between the 1994 and 2026 World Cups
From Trump to Messi, Iran to ICE, politics and sport collide at the biggest World Cup in history
US team settles into World Cup training base with optimism and gratitude for fan support
The weird and wonderful soccer phrases fans will bring to the World Cup
FIFA and Infantino draw bipartisan skepticism ahead of the World Cup
What to know about the 16 stadiums hosting 2026 World Cup matches
World Cup by the numbers: 104 matches, 48 teams and 3 countries make this the largest ever
Teenager Lamine Yamal carries the responsibility of leading Spain at the World Cup
From luring stars to hosting the World Cup, Saudi Arabia has spent billions to disrupt soccer
Soccer great Pelé’s legacy shines on in his one-time home ahead of the World Cup
World Cup stadiums earn prestigious certifications as green buildings before matches begin
The World Cup poses an unprecedented security challenge at a fraught moment. Is the US ready?
Mexico City’s altitude poses a key challenge for teams at the 2026 World Cup
The World Cup pitches are the result of years of engineering to find just the right grass
Some of the most dedicated World Cup fans skipping this year’s tournament, citing costs and politics
World Cup players to earn $5,000 each day for clubs from $355M FIFA fund
AP exclusive: Iran players describe how the war affects their World Cup preparations
Localize It is a resource produced regularly by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to the Local News Success team at localizeit@ap.org. View guides published in the last 30 days here.
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo warms up during the men's national soccer team training session ahead of their FIFA World Cup soccer tournament Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo runs drills during the men's national soccer team training session ahead of their FIFA World Cup soccer tournament Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo warms up during the men's national soccer team training session ahead of their FIFA World Cup soccer tournament Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Czechia's Tomas Soucek celebrates a goal that was called back during the World Cup Group A soccer match against South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
South Korea's Seol Young-woo (22) celebrates with his team after a goal during the World Cup Group A soccer against Czechia in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Mexico fans celebrate in the second half during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Mexico's Raul Jimenez celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Mexico's Raul Jimenez hugs teammate Roberto Alvarado, right, after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
United States defender Chris Richards, front left, gives autographs to fans after the nationall team's first practice at its World Cup soccer tournament training base in Irvine, Calif., Monday, June 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham)
People chant and cheer during a protest in reaction to FIFA's ban of Iran's pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Hanson)
Marktweg Street in The Hague, Netherlands, is decorated ahead of the start of the soccer World Cup, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
A dancer performs along Reforma Avenue in Mexico City, Saturday, June 6, 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Canada's Cyle Larin speaks to media during a World Cup soccer training session in Toronto, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)
