on just one week how much work and really get we still have time to work. i'm going with what 1st, subscribe or more news like ah ah, this is did we news live from rural end landmark torture trial? a german court finds the syrian officer guilty of crimes against humanity, the verdict sense a former secret service officer to prison for life for overseeing the systematic

torture of prisoners in syria. also coming up serbian tennis star, novak dark of edge is included in the draw for the australian open, the spite uncertainty over his visa ah on layla. how thank you so much for your company. we start with a landmark verdict, a german cortez sentence to a former syrian military officer to life in prison for crimes against humanity. the court found the man named unwell restaurant guilty of overseeing the murder of 27 people at the r t detention center just outside of damascus. mr. ross line is the highest ranking syrian official so far convicted of the charge. the verdict was much anticipated by those who suffered abuse or lost relatives at the hands of the

government in serious long war his victim say he caused unspeakable suffering. now on war as lawn could spend the rest of his life behind bars. outside the courtroom relief. ah, i am, i am so happy i am so happy because today it's victory, victory for justice as possible. it's victory for the victims. it's victory for julia. i'm future of sheila, it's it said eric. ignition of the crimes committed the interior and i think it's quite a cave for their survivor. the syrian how are gra, activated these crime? so i hope that he said the sentence and despair that will be as

strong pays for her future war. as a former colonel and serious secret service, roslyn oversaw a notorious prison in damascus. witnesses told of electric shocks, beatings and rape. he deserted his post in 2012 and fled to germany, where he lived for 5 years as a refugee, until one of his victims recognized him on the street. roslyn was found guilty on $27.00 counts of murder. those who helped bring him to justice, that he's just one among many that and that in accounting of the crimes of the syrian civil war, has only just begun. let's speak now to sara k ali. she's syria researcher in the middle east and north africa division at human rights watch in is investigating human rights violations in syria. sir, thank you so much for taking the time to take our questions. this is regarded as a landmark case over state lead torture and syria. how important is this verdict?

this verdict is extremely important. it is indeed a watershed moment, not just for assyria, but also for the international community. this is the highest level official of the syrian government that's ever been indicted or indeed accused. and, and this is the 1st type of trial of its kind, it's against sate state sponsored torture. and we're hoping that this will be a map for other other countries to follow. how does this become a german trial? germany was able to actually pursue this trial because it adopts the principle of universal jurisdiction, which is a principle under international law that allows it to pursue cases against humanity and atrocities where they didn't happen on germany's territory where the victim or the perpetrator were not german it's, it's the kind of principle that we hope other european countries will adopt some

already have it in their framework. but it reading enables countries to have a role in violations that are too big to ignore. a sarah, how difficult is it to prosecute and find evidence against those who a, the likes of the assad regime like you're annoyed roslyn, i think it really depends. i think the value of the, of the copeland trial is that it showed us that it is possible to do this. it is possible to identify assyrians, who have committed grieve abuses and prosecute them funny to the, to the extent that the law allows. i think the challenge really lies with how you get the big fish, the higher level officials at the head of the system of repression of this torture archipelago that we have in syria. how do you capture them and ensure that they are prosecuted? and i think that's the next challenge for the international justice. a speaking of that sir, why does the i c c not involved in this?

you know, when you get sloppy, for instance, i went through the war in the aftermath. there was these special i, c, t, y un office in the or court, i should say try in crimes that were committed in, in lucas in the former yugoslavia. why isn't there such an international court for syria? i mean, the, the reason is the 2 primary ways that you could get to the international criminal court as if a country has ratified their own statute, which syria has not. or if the un security council refers the matter to the i, c. c. and unfortunately, russia and china continued to block any kind of resolution that seeks to refer syria to the international criminal court. so in the, in the face of a luck of international, multilateral alternative, to holding syria accountable for these atrocities, we've resorted to european courts, national courts that can use universal jurisdiction to pursue the cases. just as, as has happened in germany. sir kalia is the syria researcher in the middle east

and north africa division at human rights watch a talking to us about the significance of this land market torture verdict that has been passed here in germany today. sarah, thank you very much for taking our questions. european union ministers are meeting to discuss russia's military build up on the russian border to ukraine. the discussions come amid a flurry of diplomatic activity to try and diffuse the crisis. that you was not part of talks this week between the us and russia. but foreign policy chief justice brown denied that the e u is being frozen out of the negotiations over the threat of war in its own backyard. novel could be good deal. that's been a lot of talk that europe was kept the side that europe was not participating, was not at the table. i really listen with develop an extremely advanced coordination with the united states home platform. we're actually corporation,

and we are assured that nothing will be decided not even negotiated with the russians when a close coordination with europe and without the participation of the europeans. a song about the bush only show the use of top diplomat there as speaking a want to go now to did over the course. finally, st. louis in breast a france where the you ministers are, are meeting. lisa put this in perspective for us. what role does the european union play in diffusing tensions and resolving the crisis on ukraine's border? well, the e is obviously underlining that it is talking to the years that it's been debrief by the years that it's really involved in all these talks. but as you said beforehand, actually then they're not sitting at the negative negotiating table. that's down to the fact that the european union is very much divided amongst member states. they don't really know what starts to take towards russia on the ukraine issue. and

that's why they don't have one international voice and are not really perceived as a strong do you political partner now with the you side lined, and the drumbeats of war becoming louder. what are the potential consequences for the block itself? if russia decides to invade ukraine, well, if that really were to happen for a ministers here have said today that they would then impose toughest sanctions on russia. and obviously, it would also increase the pressure on member states to take a tough stance on russia. you know, because there are divergences between the different stances, by the different members say, for example, germany could no longer probably just go ahead and buy more and more cheap gas from russia, that at least that would become more controversial within the european union. and the european union would have to come together and take a tougher stance. obviously, here, foreign ministers are talking about how to come together and how to come up with

a common defense policy. they are hoping that as soon as at this march, they will be able to issue a common white paper that would permit, but that will allow the european union to become a real geopolitical international player. well, let's continue our conversation on that or let's conclude it on that. we, what does all of this signal about that you as a player on the global stage? well, it does mean that at this very moment in time, the european union does not really play a big role. it is an economic, a commercial player, a soft power, but hasn't achieved yet to become a hard part minute. some analysts have been telling me earlier today and yesterday that actually this might be a moment, a tipping point for the european union because it's, it's so flabbergasting really quite astonishing that. and when it comes to an issue that's happening right next to the european union in a neighboring state,

that the european union, european union officials are not at the negotiating table. so maybe this is an impulse for them to change policy. and to come up with one voice in order to play a bigger role. internationally speaking, to w, corresponded lisa. we are reporting from breast france where the you ministers are meeting. thank you, lisa want to bring up to speed. now, with some of the other headlines that we are tracking for you right now, troops from a russia lead security alliance deploy to kazakhstan, have begun heading home because a president called in the forces last week after peaceful demonstrations against rising fuel prices escalated into violent anti government protests, authority say they have now regained full control. teachers in france have gone on strike of what they say is the unmanageable burden of dealing with covert 19 walls. about half of france's primary schools had to

remain closed due to the walkout. teachers unions want better protection in the classroom. as the on the crown variant fuse a huge surge in cases. labor unions have paralyzed parts of lebanon with a general strike. bus struck an taxi drivers blocked major highways and roads in the capital b route. and universities of schools were closed all over the country. lebanon has been suffering one of the world's worst economic crises. o testers are angry at what they describe as the government's in action. then a star novak jock of it is still waiting to hear if he can stay in australia after arriving without a cove. it vaccine and with misleading paperwork. australian open organizers have been proceeding on the assumption that mr. joke of which will play in the tournament, but ultimately

a countries immigration minister will have the final say on the surface, the count down to the striding openness hitting all the usual great. the players practice and the draw has been made ahead of monday start we start with our number one sees for the tournament novak jock of ich, on line number one. the world number one is now officially drawn to play another serbian in round one. but will he not back jock, of each like the rest of the sporting world, white on the striving government to rule on his visit to stay and play the wife of the decision about novak jock, which they say yet to be made. and how long is your government going to let this dragon fall? while i refer to mister hawks most recent statement and that position has changed? none uses not necessarily good use. the joke of it, but he can rest assured he is now being represented at the highest diplomatic levels. i'm hoping and i, that's why i said to prime minister morrison, i am,

i'm hoping that nova will be allowed to stay in australia and, and play in the australian open friday looms is a natural finale for the blockbuster drama down and up. but if the government has a shingle for its decision, i get to share and before i let you go, one of the biggest voices of the 19 sixty's has fallen silent. american singer ronnie spector has died of cancer at the age of 78. i am in the sixty's as a leader of burnett's, a group was perhaps best known for the classic d my day

on. so you want him to be news, a reminder of the top story that we are covering right now in a landmark torture trial. a german court has found a 4 were syrian officer guilty of crimes against humanity. the court sent call colonel unwise as long to prison for life. we're seeing the systematic state sponsored torture and killing of prisoners in syria. you're watching every news coming up next and evil. d w. news, asia, china says it's for paris. the greenest olympic games ever. the ski slopes. tell another story. stick around for that a whole lot more and use asia with thresh, saturday. she's up to date. don't miss our highlights the d w program online d w dot com highlight.