The verdict in Germany’s landmark Syria torture trial is a ray of hope for victims

There are still plenty of obstacles to overcome for those affected to get justice – but this is a start, believes Bel Trew

Syrian woman Yasmen Almashan holds the pictures of her five brothers, who died in Syria, before the verdict in front of the court in Koblenz, Germany (AP)

The trial of Anwar Raslan was the first of its kind worldwide. The verdict was dubbed by the United Nations as a “landmark leap forward in the pursuit of truth” and “pioneering” by the German justice minister.

But what kind of impact can a ruling in a comparatively sleepy riverside town in Germany have on the lives of people, thousands of miles away in Syria where violence continues unabated?

What does it mean for the long and arduous search for justice in the war-ravaged nation?