The first conviction over the 2016 burning execution of two Turkish nationals by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria has brought some solace to the victims’ families, but many aspects of the gruesome killing remain in the dark as critics say authorities are reluctant to dig deep into IS-related probes.
On Oct. 18, a court in Gaziantep, near the Syrian border, found Jamal Abdul Rahman Alwi, a Syrian national, guilty of ordering the execution. The sexagenarian was handed three life sentences without the possibility of parole, including two for the burning executions. Alwi — the sole defendant in the case — rejected the charges. According to the prosecution, he was an IS member from 2013 to 2016 and served as a qadi, or a judge in a Sharia court. Alwi’s lawyers say they will appeal the sentence, citing insufficient evidence for the conviction.
