FRANCE REVOKES REFUGEE STATUS OF MASS MASSACRE SUSPECT Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi Context Ongoing investigation in France for war crimes and murder committed in Iraq in 2014 Suspect Iraqi national and suspected member of Islamic State (IS) Country of residence of suspect France Charges Inhuman and degrading treatment as war crimes and violations of the 1949 Geneva Conventions; terrorist conspiracy and murders linked to a terrorist group Developments in 2018 On 6 March 2018, Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi was arrested in Lisieux, Normandy. After two days in custody, he was indicted for criminal conspiracy, murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, and war crimes of inhuman and degrading treatment and of using prohibited means and methods of warfare. He was subsequently placed in pre-trial detention. Current status Detained; under investigation Facts Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi is suspected of having participated in the June 2014 massacre of Camp Speicher, a military base near Tikrit, where armed men abducted and executed hundreds of young army recruits, mainly Shiites, killing up to 1,700 people. Based on testimony from other suspects, the Iraqi authorities claim that Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi personally executed 103 soldiers. The accused denies all involvement in the alleged crimes. The accused arrived in France during the summer of 2016. He was granted the refugee status in June 2017. This protection was removed after his arrest. Procedure In the summer of 2017, the French intelligence services identified Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi as an alleged IS member and reported his presence to the judicial authorities. In November 2017, the office of the prosecutor of the French specialized unit for the prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture within the Paris High Court (hereinafter “the specialized unit”) requested the opening of an investigation against Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi. He is accused of having participated in the massacre of Camp Speicher in June 2014. He denies any involvement in the events. This is the first case to be investigated jointly by the antiterrorism and the specialized unit. Read more about the case 28 Zoom in Why must Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi be judged in France? France granted refugee status to Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi in 2017. It revoked this status following the war crimes allegations, yet still recognized the threats the accused would be exposed to if he returned to Iraq. Subsequently, pursuant to the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees, Ahmed Hamdane El Aswadi could not be sent back there to face trial. The only remaining option was to judge him in France.