Germany prosecutes Syrian “torture doctor”, extends pretrial detention after evidence emerges of colusion with Syrian embassy to escape

FRANKFURT — The trial of Syrian “torture doctor” Alaa Moussa has begun in Frankfurt, Germany.

On the opening day of the trial, fears emerged that the Syrian government was terrorizing witnesses in the case, preventing them from testifying before the German judiciary, according to Syrian lawyer and activist Anwar al-Bunni.

The accused entered the courtroom at the opening session accompanied by two German lawyers and one Syrian lawyer. Al-Bunni said the lawyer is probably assigned by the Syrian embassy in Berlin to defend Moussa. He said that the court, “has evidence of Moussa’s contact with the Syrian embassy, to seek help in confronting the charges against him by the German prosecution, as well as evidence of discussing his assistance in escaping.”

The court refused to release Moussa and decided to extend the pretrial detention on the grounds that he could escape, especially since it had evidence that he might have planned it with the Syrian embassy.