![Syrian defendant Anwar Raslan, 57, arrives at court for an unprecedented trial on state-sponsored torture in Syria, on April 23, 2020 at the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz, western Germany [Thomas Lohnes/various sources/AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/b64b245b6ffc410693cdcce57ca89bb5_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Ex-members of Syrian military accused of torture were living in Germany as refugees until they were arrested and jailed.
![Syrian defendant Eyad al-Gharib (L) hides himself under his hood prior to the trial [Thomas Lohnes via AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/06d80b60495143cab60ba2d8b0e0e0f2_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Two ex-military members accused of torture had been living in Germany as refugees and were arrested over a year ago.
![A gruesome collection of images of dead torture victims taken by a photographer, codenamed 'Caesar', were smuggled out of Syria between 2011 and mid-2013 [Lucas Jackson/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/08f39a4e52454f84afd08fb7e8766252_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Prosecutors in world’s first criminal trial on torture in Syria target Anwar Raslan, an ex colonel, and Eyad al-Gharib.
![German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, with trade likely high on the agenda of talks in Berlin [Felipe Trueba/EPA]](/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/afb110438b88401cab17e10b90267c1b_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
As the Chinese vice president visits Germany, the EU sees opportunities in the ongoing US-China trade war.