Refaat al-Assad Referenced to Court in Switzerland on War Crimes Charges

The Swiss Attorney General announced on Tuesday the referral of Refaat al-Assad, the uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to court on charges of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the 1980s. The Attorney General's office stated in a press release that Refaat al-Assad "is accused of issuing orders for killings, torture, inhumane treatment, and unlawful arrests in Syria in February 1982 as part of the armed conflict" in the city of Hama during the presidency of Hafiz al-Assad.