A leaked document, obtained by Zaman al-Wasl from a reliable source, issued by the National Defense Forces' "Information Department," proves the involvement of commander Rafiq Nassim al-Qatrib in the rape of female detainees and the extortion of their families, thus bolstering his ongoing trial in the Netherlands on charges of war crimes.
Rafiq Nassim al-Qatrib, 58, the former head of the interrogation department in the National Defense Forces militia in Salamiyah, confessed to raping women in his bedroom at the detention center during 2013 and 2014. The secret document, issued by the former regime and dated April 7, 2014, reveals that al-Qatrib exploited his position to extort money from the families of detainees, receiving sums reaching 300,000 Syrian pounds in exchange for promises of their release.
The Dutch judiciary is facing "Rafiq A."
The Dutch judiciary is currently trying al-Qatrib under the name "Rafiq A." on charges including torture and crimes against humanity. The significance of the leaked document lies in its being an indictment from within the very structure of the former regime itself. It documents the names of the victims as irrefutable material evidence for international investigators.
"The detainee explicitly confessed to raping female detainees in his bedroom at the center and accepting bribes." — Excerpt from National Defense Command document No. 630/A.
A History of Abuses
Al-Qatrib hails from the city of Salamiyah in the Hama countryside. He led the investigations within the militia formed by the former regime to carry out "dirty work" and field abuses. Despite the regime's attempt at the time to contain his scandals by releasing him, his arrival in Europe opened the door to international accountability under universal jurisdiction.
The Dutch court continues to hear testimonies from survivors and link them to the leaked documents to ensure that officials of the former regime's security centers do not escape punishment. Zaman al-Wasl was the first to reveal his arrival in Europe years ago.
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