A French court on Wednesday sentenced a former Syrian Islamist rebel to 10 years in prison for his role in atrocities committed in Syria's civil war, in the country's first universal justice case.
Majdi Nema, a former spokesman of the rebel group Jaish Al Islam, was found guilty by a Paris court of complicity in war crimes, specifically of conscription of minors aged 15 to 18, and helping to prepare war crimes.
In his last statement to the jury before it withdrew to deliberate, Nema, 36, repeated his innocence but did not address the charges that had been issued against him.
Nema, who has spent five years in pretrial detention in France after his arrest in the southern city of Marseille during a student exchange programme, said he wanted to return to Syria.
"I would like you to differentiate between me and Jaish Al Islam," he said. The group, which was one of the main opposition groups fighting the former president Bashar Al Assad's government, has been integrated into the new Defence Ministry.
Nema initially faced 20 years in prison but some of the charges were dropped by the jury.
Syrians who testified at the trial said they felt divided over the fate of Nema, who left Jaish Al Islam in 2016 and was based for the most part of his job as spokesman in Turkey.
Speaking anonymously out of fear for their safety, one said that Nema had “paid enough” by spending five years in pretrial detention and that he cared little if he was released now.
Speaking before the verdict, Anas Al Kholi, a civil party in the case who was imprisoned by Jaish Al Islam, said that he hoped Nema would get the maximum sentence because of his prominent role in the group, which probably involved information about its crimes.
Nema was initially arrested for charges involving the disappearance of four prominent human rights activists who were probably kidnapped by Jaish Al Islam in a Damascus suburb in 2013. Those charges were dropped in 2023, largely for procedural reasons.
Syrian activists had hoped that he would give information about their fate at the trial, which did not happen. Jaish Al Islam has always rejected accusations of involvement in their disappearance. Relatives, some of whom believe they were killed in captivity, say they have proof that senior officials ordered the kidnapping but that the leadership was told after it happened.
This was the first time that crimes committed during Syria's civil war were tried in France under the universal jurisdiction, which allows states to prosecute suspects accused of serious crimes regardless of where they were committed.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
More on Quran memorisation:
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TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
LILO & STITCH
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Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
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Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
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No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
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- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
