German court finds main suspect in first Syria torture trial guilty

FILE PHOTO: Syrian defendant Anwar Raslan (2nd R), 57, accused of crimes against humanity, in the first trial of its kind to emerge from the Syrian conflict, arrives at court, in Koblenz, Germany June 4, 2020. Thomas Lohnes/Pool via REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German court sentenced a former intelligence officer in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's security services to life in prison after finding him guilty on Thursday, broadcaster NTV reported.

Prosecutors accused Anwar R. of 58 murders in a Damascus prison where prosecutors say at least 4,000 opposition activists were tortured in 2011 and 2012.

It was the second guilty verdict by the higher regional court in the western city of Koblenz for crimes against humanity in the Syrian civil war.

(Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Miranda Murray)