Last weekend, two separate trials started in Germany, aiming to bring perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Syria and Iraq a step closer to justice. On Thursday, Anwar Raslan and Eyab Al Gharib, former Syrian intelligence officers, faced German judges in Koblenz, more than 3,000 kilometres from their homeland. They are accused of killing and torturing fellow Syrians.
The hearing shed light on the plight of millions of people who have suffered, and are still suffering, at the hands of the regime. Yet, this prosecution is only one drop in an ocean of unpunished crimes in Syria. As the regime in Damascus clutches onto power, and the war enters a new phase, the probability of those responsible for so much devastation ever being held to account for their crimes at home is near to none.
The day after Raslan and Al Gharib’s trial, another German court, this time in Frankfurt, tried Taha Al Jumailly, an Iraqi man charged with genocide and murder. Al Jumailly and his German wife Jennifer Weinish, both ISIS members, stand accused of enslaving a mother and her child – both members of the minority Yazidi faith – in Fallujah. Both victims were allegedly tortured by Al Jumailly and Weinish, and the five-year-old child eventually died.
Friday’s court hearing is a clear warning to everyone around the world who commits unthinkable, violent crimes that are never truly safe from justice. The outcome of the hearing cannot undo the terrible tragedy that befell the Yazidis and other victims of ISIS. Untold numbers have been murdered by ISIS and even more have been displaced to camps. However, having a sense of justice for even one of these crimes is an important step forward.
These cases could never have been tried in Syria and Iraq. While each country has its own problems, both states have a weakened judiciary that cannot fulfill its duty to serve justice.
The Koblenz trials, in which neither the victims nor the perpetrators were German, are made possible thanks to the Germany’s adoption of the principle of universal jurisdiction. This empowers a country’s judiciary to prosecute certain egregious crimes regardless of where in the world they were carried out and even if they did not involve that country’s citizens. In a justice landscape where victims have little recourse in their home countries and international tribunals are often lengthy and complex, universal jurisdiction can be a valuable tool – provided that the judicial systems applying it are diligent and capable.
The hearing shed light on the plight of millions of people who have suffered, and are still suffering, at the hands of the regime
In Frankfurt as in Koblenz, victory is bittersweet. It is a form of justice, but it will neither bring back their loved ones nor provide any acknowledgement in their homelands for their suffering. The end goal for the international community must always be to strengthen the rule of law everywhere and to ensure that criminals are immune nowhere. But we are still a long way from there. And for now, it inspires confidence to know that, as the cruelty of war disperses Syrians and Iraqis around the world, there are corners of the earth where they can still seek justice.
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister. "We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know. “All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.” It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins. Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement. The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally • Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered • Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity • Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Habib El Qalb
Assi Al Hallani
(Rotana)
GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
Tamkeen's offering
Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
Option 2: 50% across three years
Option 3: 30% across five years
Scores
Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)
Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
heading
Iran has sent five planeloads of food to Qatar, which is suffering shortages amid a regional blockade.
A number of nations, including Iran's major rival Saudi Arabia, last week cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorism, charges it denies.
The land border with Saudi Arabia, through which 40% of Qatar's food comes, has been closed.
Meanwhile, mediators Kuwait said that Qatar was ready to listen to the "qualms" of its neighbours.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
