Most recent articles by Matthias von Hein
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Hamas-Israel conflictWhat are the rules, according to international law?
Israel is retaliating after the Hamas terrorist attacks with massive bombings, a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and possibly a ground offensive. What is covered by international law – and what constitutes a war crime? By Matthias von Hein
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Syria torture trialAnwar Raslan: "No small cog in the wheel"
Life imprisonment for crimes against humanity: that was the sentence handed down to Anwar Raslan in the world's first trial of a member of the Syrian torture system. Matthias von Hein reports
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Religious minorities in IranBaha'is repressed and persecuted by the state
It's no secret that the Baha'i community in Iran is persecuted. Now, a document has come to light that appears to show the extent to which the repression is state-sponsored. By Matthias von Hein
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Syria torture trial in KoblenzGerman court sends message on Syrian war crimes
The verdict of a court in western Germany is the first step toward justice in Syria. It also paves the way for verdicts in war crime trials worldwide, writes DW's Matthias von Hein
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De-radicalising young peopleIs there a way to stop jihadists in Europe?
What drives young men into the arms of Islamist extremists – and how can they be re-integrated into society? Five years after the deadly attacks in Paris, urgent questions remain. By Matthias von Hein
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Riad Seif’s testimony at the Syrian torture trial in GermanyA Syrian opposition legend speaks out
In the first case of its kind anywhere in the world, a German court is probing Syria's state torture system. Giving testimony at the trial is one of Syria's most widely respected opposition figures, Riad Seif, who helped the accused, Anwar R., get a visa for Germany. By Matthias von Hein
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International Day in support of victims of torture"The international human rights system is slowly eroding"
From Syrian war crimes to U.S. hypocrisy in the Julian Assange case, the global "erosion of human rights standards" is of critical concern, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer tells Matthias von Hein
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Islamic State on trialProsecuting IS returnees in Germany takes the law's longest arm
An increasing number of Islamic State returnees are standing trial in Germany, including female supporters of the terror group. To make their case, federal prosecutors are relying on international criminal law. By Matthias von Hein
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Assad's crimes against his own peopleSyrian ex-secret police stand trial in Germany
For the first time anywhere, Syrian intelligence officers are facing trial – in Germany. The court aims to probe the defendant's alleged crimes, as well as cast light on Bashar al-Assad's system of torture and oppression. By Matthias von Hein
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Counter-terrorist, terrorist – what's the difference?YPG returnees under suspicion
The Kurdish YPG militia did the heavy lifting in the fight against the "Islamic State", yet many foreign YPG adherents, including Germans, have come home to find themselves under suspicion of terrorism. By Esther Felden & Matthias von Hein
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Islamism in GermanyPreventing radicalisation in prisons
The terror attacks in Paris, Brussels and Berlin were all carried out by men radicalised in jail. In Germany, politics and the judiciary are trying out new approaches to prevent inmates from becoming extremists. By Esther Felden and Matthias von Hein
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Pursuing prosecution in GermanyJustice for Yazidi survivors of Islamic State genocide
The extremist group "Islamic State" attempted to wipe out the Yazidis. Many thousands died, and survivors tell horrific tales of abuse and enslavement. Now, German investigators have taken up the fight for justice. By Matthias von Hein