‘Landmark leap’ towards justice: UN

Geneva: The life sentence handed down by a German court on Thursday to a former Syrian colonel for crimes against humanity in his war-torn country marks a "landmark leap" towards justice, the United Nations rights chief said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said the verdict handed to Anwar Raslan, 58, at the end of the first global trial over state-sponsored torture in Syria was "historic".

"Today’s verdict should serve to spur forward all efforts to widen the net of accountability for all perpetrators of the unspeakable crimes that have characterised this brutal conflict," she said in a statement.