Inside the Raslan Trial: Trauma, justice, and politics

SJAC’s 39th trial monitoring report details days 79 & 80 of the trial of Anwar Raslan in Koblenz. On the first day a Syrian plaintiff described the bad detention conditions and torture he had to endure during his detention in Al-Khatib Branch. His counsel added the following day that this testimony would be another example of how the human mind hinders torture survivors to remember details about traumatic experiences. The court also heard the testimony of a BKA officer regarding another witness’ police questioning. This witness was apparently traumatized by witnessing people dying next to him in Al-Khatib Branch. Nonetheless he opposed this trial.