The Telegraph reports that Kurdish authorities in Syria have announced that trials of suspected Islamic State fighters are set to begin within a few days. In a statement posted on Twitter, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) criticised European countries for refusing to repatriate their nationals.
“Because of the failure of the international community to respond to the calls and appeals of the Autonomous Administration of countries to receive their citizens from the organisation… the Administration decided to start presenting ISIS foreigners detained by it to open, fair and transparent trials,” AANES said.
Katherine Cornett, head of Reprieve’s North-East Syria team, said: “There are only a small number of British men in these prisons, but it’s impossible to know how many as they are held incommunicado.” She also added “they are in a legal black hole which makes it very hard to understand how fair trials could possibly occur. The only realistic way to ensure justice is to repatriate them and try them in British courts, where there is a case to answer.”
