A former Syrian colonel living in Britain appeared before a London court Tuesday charged with crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Syria, linked to his role repressing demonstrations in 2011.
The case is the first prosecution of its kind in the UK, according to police.
Salem al-Salem, 58, assisted by an interpreter, appeared by video link before a judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
He did not speak or enter any plea, but could be seen with a breathing tube over his mouth.
The court was told he was suffering from motor neurone disease.
The alleged offences relate to his time as a colonel in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence (AFI) with responsibility for the Jobar suburb of Damascus.
Salem is charged with three counts of murder as a crime against humanity, three counts of torture, and one offence of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity.
The allegations relate to demonstrations in Jobar in 2011 with the torture charges linked to events in 2011-2012.
Judge Paul Goldspring granted Salem, who lives in Buckinghamshire in central England, conditional bail.
- 24-hour curfew -
But the judge rejected a defence request for Salem to be given anonymity after his lawyer argued that he could be at risk.
"Naming the defendant would not lead to enhanced risk," Goldspring said.
He added the principle of open justice required the media to be able to report "information the public is entitled to, so they can understand the allegations against the defendant".
He ruled Salem should observe a 24-hour curfew, make himself available for police checks and not contact anyone named as a potential witness.
The case was adjourned until Friday when a case management hearing at London's Old Bailey court will be held.
The alleged murder victims were named as Omar al-Homsi, Nizar Fayoumi-AlKhatib, Mohammed Salim Zahrak Balik and Talhat Dalal who died in April and July 2011.
The torture charges date to 2011-2012 and relate to three named individuals: Mohammed al-Hakim, Hani Dahrouj and Ziauddin Mahammed Tayseer Dahrouj.
Syria's civil war broke out in March 2011 when large anti?government protests erupted across the country inspired in part by the regional Arab Spring.
Then-president Bashar al-Assad cracked down brutally on the demonstrations.
Assad, whose family had ruled Syria with an iron fist for some five decades, finally fled for Russia in December 2024 after an Islamist-led offensive wrested city after city from his control until Damascus fell.
