to become closed in a cru see a political conflict went oh, you lost the run. starts december 18th, on d. w. the in the days after the full of syria's long time dictator, bashar assad, families rushed to prisons liberated by rebel forces in the hope of finding their loved ones. the brutal methods used by the regime to torture and kill. and the extent of it are now coming to light for syrians at home and abroad. the issue of justice is an important part of serious transformation. but how will the country's new leadership deal with the task of seeking both justice and containing harmony in syria? on probably the us in britain, this is the day i the

officer, you know, so there seem that rude. syria for some people. they've poured years traveling into short weeks sir. no faces hold your. yeah, the problem was that i saw it as a war criminal who should be brought to justice for this theory and people has to be held accountable. there is no the possibility of accessing evidence of the highest level of regime in allied crimes be unloaded. there's no word to express it we've been through, but thank god, we've reached the day where we can see the light once again, the also coming of the russian general killed by a bomb in the heart of moscow. ukraine says it's special forces token out. it's going to skip this was a really filigree job. i don't know how else to say to ensure i take my head off towards special forces with accomplish this task section to keep. but it's no

secret that we have a fairly extensive network in russia to our viewers on p b. s in the united states and all around the world. welcome. as we begin the day in syria where the united nation says it expects around 1000000 refugees who fled the outside regime to return to their homeland over the next 6 months. do you ends on void to syria is cooling on the international community to support syria's new leaders and, and the sanctions put in place against damascus. that way the country can speed up reconstruction efforts and the chief stability that many syrians, both inside the country, and those planning to return, will be hoping for a measure of justice following the time full of the outside regime, the lens, syria, andre garr peterson, toward a damascus prison where the regime child tortured and killed thousands of his opponents. he said the atrocities committed there should never be allowed to happen

again in syria or anywhere else. b, as in chester. and i think the last 4 books of all time. i have no way to go through some of the prisoners, some of the attendees, some of their families. so the grandchildren's adults who've attended here. we have seen some who survived. i think it's been on the speak of all the hard stuff they went through. when it isn't just family members descending on serious prisons, hoping to find loved ones or find out what happened to them. former prisoners are also going back to where they were locked up and tortured for weeks to this unassuming building in damascus. a notorious prison where people disappeared and were tortured. now relatives are searching for their loved ones, going through documents scattered inside and outside the building. so they do it even. this is fatty ob, daugherty,

who spent weeks here. he says he was arrested because of a suspicious banking activity of that. i mean, no. let's see what's are they arrested me and wanted to charge me with the robbery capital. so from the asked, what do you do? i said, i'm a truck driver and i was with my father at the hospital and i receive money from my parents and my brother in turkey. so i don't know, but they thought that i was an agent because i have money transfers in my account on friday was moved from prison to prison. conditions were grim abuse, rampant prisoners chained together. the fate charter peters say something different to charge me and take more money. when i stuck to my word and the truth, i'm sure they treated me badly. so as i look at that, i mean he and his fellow prisoners created a calendar to keep track of time since they couldn't see the sun from the eventually he was able to bribe guards to release him. and he says he was one of the lucky ones that we use with a lot of the people without money spent 5 to 9 years in audra. prisons need be

either over the summer and they still have to pay a fine at the end. is body be announcing the line. now the guards are gone, but it will take a long time to piece together what happens to other prisoners, the unlucky ones who are still missing. the un body setup to investigate international crimes during serious civil war is cooling on the country's new leaders to secure evidence related to those atrocities. the agencies leader, former canadian prosecutor, robert petty, says he and his team are hoping to travel to syria in the coming days to see the situation firsthand and to gather evidence. it's a very delicate and fluid situation as there is, however, the potential in this now accessible crime scene. or maybe i should say, interlocking series of crime scenes. they are now the possibility there is now the

possibility of accessing evidence of the highest level when you're talking about a government to state providers who for 14 years use every aspect of that. i, paradis to commit crimes. you will have a massive amount of documentation left behind. for more, we're joined by dr. stephanie bulk and expert in international criminal law and a professor of germany's marburg university. she also is executive director of the international research and documentation center for war crimes trials which focuses on documenting or crimes trials. dr. bach, welcome to dw, great to have you on the show. so what do you think the chances are that charlotte aside could ever face prosecution and what would the charges be drowned? so what the charges would be, they would probably relate to crimes against humanity and walk crimes, in particular, was a view to torture. the smoke populum up to cause a question,

how to get him, but take it out because he is no flipped to russia and rush over to tech to him from the persecution. okay, well then what about other members of the aside regime? who could still actually remain in syria. we have different possibilities. we have already seen tribes on the basis of universal euro fictions and so called to the states. so for example, we had tribes concerning state torture in syria, in germany and france and a in the united states. this, this affords can be continued now and of costs. and there's a new government, syria may itself side to deal with those tribes and to bring justice to the wisdom . and this, even the possibility that the new government will assign the rooms that you'd have

to international criminal court. and if this court, the opportunity to do you with crimes committed in serial or it will expand a little bit more if you could, the role of the international criminal court and what it could be syria never ratified the treaty and is not covered by i c c jurisdiction oh yes, it's true. the international criminal court with this seat in the heck as a permanent and to children who has the power to prosecute genocide problems against them on a t walk crumbson's crime, a progression. but as a basic rule, only 2 parties. so was a view to the state parties who have fred to fight the statute. and syria so far has never joined the sea. but the new government might make a new decision roughly far as the statute and even accept the jurisdiction of the

international crowds for crimes which has been committed into the post. okay, well what about germany? i'm in berlin. you're in a mar bird. so it's a country that recognizes universal jurisdiction for some international crimes. and so what could happen in, in the case of germany or germany would surely continue his faults to prosecute state crimes committed in syria. they've already seen cases concerning torture in copeland and at the moment there is case before the original caught off a friend foot or 2 concerning state torture in syria. so germany will continue to prosecute this crime these crimes. but the problem, of course, is the gemini can only prosecute perpetrators who have fled to germany. so it's a very limited approach the gemini has, or i talked to us

a little about a landmark trial here in germany, the, our team trial. and it will be interesting for you to explain a little bit about that. i'm what list, what lessons were learned from that process. this was unimportant drive because it was the 1st time ever that criminal court dealt was state to torture interior. and the two's accused have been sanctioned for funds against humanity in particular torture in a prison in prison something. and so the most challenging part of this try probably was the difficult situation for victims and witnesses when this trial took place. so such a government will spill in power and exercise, pressure on wisdom, send witnesses to where to testify in copeland and even active against the families

which will impart still in ontario and not a problem. this of costs at the evidence is far away from the place of the card. so was very challenging for german court to prosecute and learn about crimes which has been committed to far away from the court and to transfer the evidence from syria to gemini. and to evaluate this evidence here in an additional context. all right, we'll leave it there. a very interesting speaking to doctor stephanie buck, professor of international criminal. thanks for joining us at today on data. thank you very much. durham and diplomats were in damascus on tuesday for talks with representatives of the is the mrs. group page. the switch over through bosher, i'll aside the regime last week. the talks focused on the political transition process and the protection of minorities and women's rights dw, spoke earlier. to be un high commissioner for human rights,

folk rhetoric and asked him if he believed the promises made by hedge to us to protect minorities. mean it's what we hear. it's important that the statements are made and they, it's important that there is commitment. but the proof is in the pudding, we have to see how it plays out in practice. and we need to make sure that the commitments that the state has, including the transitional government, if they are actually realized and they become reality. well, many syrians are unsure about the rebel groups that i've stood aside, and that's especially true for the countries religious minorities. you don't use my how much right to spend time with a syrian christian. he's trying to figure out his future in the new syria. the. the sullen comes here for comfort. because looking tash near his home in central, damascus, people wants it to continue being

a safe space into a new seo young and see me. but that was a new group that went around the country and the next res, go about if they i'm not sure how it will be. some of the cut off how often you know, it's still unclear, honestly, and i can't predict it. i can't say will be negative and b, but also i can be reassured, point of dealing with someone like many of serious minority groups, cushions are eager to find a place. and the serial new government writes from the those stuff, the see signs of the change already on the way the flag will serial. under a sides food is being erased. i'm the dental, i'll be on. we're painting it like made bring us white and prosperous days. that says we were forced to paint the flag on our doors all of us. but now we're free to painted and light. so by so many asylums friends have long since

left the country to escape the turbulent political situation over the past decades . and he worries that now things might get worse on the people or q him for bread, that's a bakery in there. but despite the form of the regime, he says very little has changed so far. hello. see why he's in the self. and the only thing that has changed here, that'd be nice about, is that this building of the air force intelligence is empty it out to 0. we. uh huh. hello. it was always surrounded by arm soldiers. no, no, i don't see them. i thought you was seen otherwise, it's all the same when about you must have a lot of highlight. the air force intelligence spending is a prominent feature of a central noun for exclusive detention center. the base is now

applied by serial position fighters. they show us what the regime agents left behind this as the interrogation room. and again these are the prison cells and these were the close of its trainings. and instead of these chairs were used for torture. after seeing the prison sunday and starts believing that any future might be possible in celia newman saw and see what he said, he, i'm optimistic that there will be changing date on area on us, on my the to be exact will be more relax, companies will no longer be complicating the price of the infinity buckroe and how about what worries me the most is the chaos in this transitional period. i kind of

a in the folder live, it's going to be, this is what i'm scared of. you can have that me and i don't be so listening about going it's time for southern but i have left question about his relationship with the much i lot see the most my relationship with the mass, cuz my head of the headboard, just like when you fight with your lover, you know and say, because it was that clearly sweet and bitter and it went up and then that's how my relationship with the mask is, is the must be a heck helmet, a complex relationship and a complexity where he hopes to find the reassuring future, the ukraine has admitted to killing a senior russian general in moscow. lieutenant general eguard kerry last was the chief of russia's nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces can read off and his assistant were killed when a bomb hidden inside an electric scooter exploded. outside an apartment building in

the capital, russian investigators are treating the attack as a terrorist act. a dash cam footage shows the moment an explosive device killed general igor kiera loss and his assistant outside of moscow apartment building the investigators are searching for clues to piece together the circumstances of what appears to be the targeted killing of one of russia's top military leaders. by ukraine, the bomb was so powerful that it shattered several windows and damaged the front door. shortly after the attack, the ukrainian officials said, keeps security service was behind it. this was a really filigreed job. i don't know how else to say to ensure i take my head off towards special forces with accomplish this task function to keep. but it's no secret that we have a fairly extensive network in russia,

which is coordinated by the security service of ukraine, which is the main intelligence directory court and the special operations forces of the for an intelligent service. because it can, you feel a much bit technical practice which we solve the issue of the russian authorities said the explosive device was planted inside an electric scooter, and was detonated remotely from the deputy head of russia's security council vowed revenge on solution to law enforcement agencies. must find the killers in russia, and everything must be done to destroy their pay masters in key and each door was like a sugar paymasters are also known. they are the military and political leadership of ukraine. go, what's great. this we have looks as well as your carrie law was the head of the russian military's chemical, biological and radiological weapons unit. he was also considered a key figure why you've been russia's war against the cranes without the to lose

just the day before he was killed. so she knew that cara love was charged up sent to you by ukrainian court for russia's use of band chemical weapons in ukraine. he had also been sanctioned by britain for using chemical weapons on the battlefield. on washington. well, joining us now from vilnius is our russian affairs, unless to constantine edward constantine could see again. so is this a huge cause for concern for president vladimir putin there perhaps even a humiliation? well, it seems a humiliation. although i must remind you, pablo that russia is not a democracy. so there is a process putting, being censored, but parliament or some kind of opposition relatives arriving of the of the gates of the kremlin boss. of course, if you look at it from the perspective of russian official, uh, an event like that's only 10 to mountains from moscow. oh, sorry from the drum and the is of pulls up basically demonstrating weakness and

pollutants and ability to control of his own capital. so i would say internally, it definitely is a blow, although again, nothing. it will not change anything politic. constantine, what's the reaction being to the killing in russia and russian media is, is it being covered extensively as well? stage media discover attended, gave all the necessary statements by. ready the prosecute as the policeman say, and we will find the comforts of what, what, what else do we expect in such circumstances? if you're looking for us on social media and relatively independent bloggers that you have there is a lot about. it's in a social media, it is news of the day in the restroom, the actually 1st photos and 1st the videos from the c d a. the on a on independence media channels are relatively independent media channels on

telegram and other social media. uh yes, i think it did hits this news. did kids? uh, the politically active part of the rest of the slides. you both those who post whatever those was supposed to me, because of course it's not every day that i have left and the generals blown up. i just, if you're deliver those away from the brother. and so of course it is news of the day and i think then lots of people are saying that this is a hole in buddhist, but supposedly impregnable security. all right, we leave it there. they don't use konstantin egret, joining us from the lithuanian capital vilios court in finland has become the 1st in the world to try to force the crime and to pay off a legal debt to ukraine. sum 34000000 euro is worth of russian owned real estate throughout the country has been seized with the aim of handing it over to ukraine's national gas company, which when a case against moscow in the hague. last year, terry schultz explains why finland long border with russia doesn't deterred from

making potentially risky decisions. oh, is just marked a 107 years of independence from russia. the more aggressively moscow behaves on each side of the 1300 kilometer border. the more assertive becomes a recent example, helsinki judges ordered the seizure of russian government owned properties, worth 34000000 euros. they are honoring and international legal judgment. the balance of moscow guilty of stealing billions of bureaus worth of assets from ukraine's national gas company, natural gas, in the 2014 illegal antics ation of crimea. the company has identified russian own properties like these in several countries, asking local courts to seize them. but so far, only finland has done it. i don't know whether in some countries they are thinking about wait a minute, we have a state on the opposing side. and it's the rest of the state should be i should be

not. you know, render an an award unsure of how russia may react. the attorneys who filed the case for natural gas and inland won't appear on camera as a security precaution, but they don't tied the reason. they took the case for free to use our skills, our profession, to help you create defense minister on the heck in notes. this decision taking money out of moscow's pockets helps finland to. we have to deal the measure. what we can do kind of 5 foot down the russian war economy for his part hacked and then has blocked new sales of property to russians and says, a near total band is coming soon to better prevent malign actors access to critical infrastructure and supply chains. now we have seen that there's a of the several cases where suspicious actions behind these equations. pins are famous for keeping cool heads when making decisions

against which moscow may retaliate and for maintaining their preparedness to a very high level. or in this case, a low level tends know that some 90 percent of the population can be housed in these underground bunkers. if something bad happens up there. most of finland underground shelters used for leisure during peace time to even sustain a nuclear attack. adding to officials confidence the fundamental lesson is if you've taken care of your own society, it's resilience. it's easier to be somewhat more proactive up early at the independence day ceremony with her grandfather, even 11 year old elona offers a reflection on this less than what they use. then all new people have been working hard to build and i need to talk hand and she said, all right, and that's why it's a great country now yet why? the finally tonight christmas is just

over a week away. and chances are you might have heard one of the modern evergreen songs over and over already. it's been 40 years since britain's pop to a y debut. their last christmas finds have been flocking to deep swiss ski resort, assess, say, where their economy, the video was filmed and re, and i think some of the clips are memorable scenes. billboard magazine says that that seems nice. ready for laughing christmas as being played more than 3600000000 times on us radio stations along where you have and i'm sure we'll be hearing it plenty over the next that days and weeks. all right, that's the show for today. follow our team on social media, i don't even use and if it's of the latest headlines you're looking for, there's always our website, dw, dot com for now from the entire team on today. thanks for spending part of your day

this take care, the

rushes and vision of ukraine has left the russian minority, latvia, and shock. the war has transformed their lives into a delicate balancing act as they try to preserve the russian language and culture, while also demonstrating the loyalty to the latvian states conflicted identities. in 15 minutes on the w or shift your guides to life and attention to

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9. your journey get inside the this is dw and use, and these are our top stories. ukraine has admitted its secret service, killed a senior russian general in moscow. lieutenant general igor carried off. it was the chief of russia's nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces. he and an assistant died when a bomb hidden inside it and electric scooter exploded outside an apartment building in moscow. it was triggered remotely, a powerful earthquake off the coast of vanya while 2 has caused widespread damage in the south pacific island nation. c. c t v for the.