a dredger working on the Rhine pulled up a large bomb dating back to World War II prompting an immediate security response.  The dredge Innovatie was working near the Pfaffendorf Bridge in Koblenz when the crew discovered a 500-kilo WWII bomb which had inadvertently been hauled aboard the dredge was moved to the nearby Koblenz Moselle lock according to the Rhineland Palatinate EOD squad so it will have to be defused on board the ship.  Since this is an inherently dangerous operation the dredger will be moved to a less populated area on the Moselle including staff and students at an elementary school and a daycare The city of Koblenz said in a statement that it would set up alternate accommodations for those affected by the evacuation order. The defusing is scheduled for Friday It is the second time that workers have found a large WWII bomb at the Pfaffendorf Bridge construction site Air Force bomb - was discovered in September and was relocated to a secure area for a controlled detonation.  Koblenz was the home of the command post of German Army Group B its downtown core was heavily bombed by the U.S Air Force and Royal Air Force in the latter years of the war Architecture studio Snøhetta has won the competition to design the new cable car stations in Koblenz, Germany set within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley The project aims to introduce contemporary architectural elements that complement the historical setting creating a fluid blend between modern functionality and heritage preservation initially introduced in 2011 for the Federal Horticultural Show connects the city center with the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress the system has grown into a key feature of the city offering an environmentally friendly transportation option that aligns with local conservation goals Snøhetta’s redesign marks a shift toward permanence addressing the unique requirements of operating within a sensitive historical landscape the Valley Station is enclosed by a curved rooftop | images © Snøhetta Snøhetta’s lower cable car station will be situated near Koblenz’s historic Basilica of St The project incorporates design elements that honor this site’s architectural legacy With a curved form that mirrors the basilica’s elegance the station adapts to the region’s architectural motifs while preserving its own contemporary relevance the station’s restrained design integrates into the World Heritage site without sacrificing architectural significance Its gracefully curving metal roof echoes the basilica’s profile The architects‘ choice of materials for the valley station emphasizes local architectural traditions supported by a wooden framework on V-shaped concrete columns is inspired by Koblenz’s historic roof and facade patterns The roof’s metal shingles and the subtle green tones capture the natural play of light along the Rhine adding a reflective quality that enhances the riverside setting Snøhetta reinforces the relationship between architecture and the surrounding natural landscape the Mountain Station features a chamfered roof The upper station — the Mountain Station — will be located at Ehrenbreitstein Fortress presents a cohesive yet distinct design aligned with the valley station robust forms that reflect the fortress’s historic presence the station’s wooden and metal structure features warmer hues complementing the fortress’s earthy tones extending over the ticketing and kiosk area creates a sheltered space for visitors while integrating an existing tree and adding depth to the station’s horizontal profile this project is as much about respecting Koblenz’s historical narrative as it is about creating functional infrastructure ‘The cultural landscape and identity of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley are shaped by centuries of human intervention,’ says Patrick Lüth Partner and Managing Director at Snøhetta’s Innsbruck studio ‘The new stations engage in dialogue with this culturally significant landscape honoring Koblenz’s architectural identity while bringing it into a contemporary context.’ architecture: Snøhetta | @snohetta AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style the project necessitates a sensitive and respectful approach to the historical context The proposed stations are designed as contemporary architectural statements that harmonize with the existing heritage Courtesy of SnøhettaThe valley station situated near the protected Basilica of St features a gently curved design that pays homage to the historic church while reinterpreting the architectural heritage of the city The jury praised the design for its ability to maintain architectural significance without overwhelming the World Heritage Site The elegant roof shape serves as a contemporary reference to the Basilica Related Article Snøhetta Unveils Design for Omaha Children's Museum in the United States Courtesy of Snøhetta The cultural landscape and identity of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley are characterized by centuries of human intervention. The new stations are part of this natural and cultural context and with our design, we continue the dialogue with the significant cultural landscape of Koblen. - Patrick Lüth, Snøhetta Partner and Managing Director of the Innsbruck studio completed in collaboration with 70°N architecture and artist Joar Nango You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email A dredging vessel working on the Rhine pulled up a large bomb dating back to World War II yesterday, prompting an immediate security response.  The dredger Innovatie was working near the Pfaffendorf Bridge in Koblenz when the crew discovered a 500 kg WWII bomb, which had inadvertently been hauled aboard. For safety reasons, the dredging vessel was moved to the nearby Koblenz Moselle lock. According to the Rhineland Palatinate EOD squad, the bomb can’t be safely removed, so it will have to be defused on board the dredger.  The defusing is scheduled for Friday, and the area will be cleared out by 08:30. Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox Proceeds from the event benefit the Austin-Koblenz Sister Cities Committee, a volunteer-run organization that fosters student exchanges and international friendships. First tissue manufacturing facility on path to 100% renewable energy Most likely just an incident – but in the core zone more south east the situation not under control The number of infected wild boar in western Germany has grown to 541 since June According to data shared by the German Animal Disease Information System (TSIS) in Germany, the washed up animal was found in the district Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis, between the towns Boppard and Spey, just south of Koblenz, on Tuesday, November 26. On Friday, November 29, Germany’s national reference laboratory, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut Most likely the animal lived in the core zone as the crow flies about 60-80 km to the south east As it was found on the banks of the river Rhine it is fair to assume the animal must have died close to the river and the water must have taken the animal’s carcass to the north in consultation with Germany’s federal ministry of agriculture no new core zones were set up as a result of the finding the finding area is being scrutinised to make sure that the area is indeed free from disease Drones have been used to fly over the area and by the weekend already an area of 1,850 ha was searched on both banks of the Rhine river Also search dogs are being used to examine the area further No further dead wild boar were found so far the situation has become more difficult in the last month the total number of infected wild boar has grown to 483 according to data shared by the Hesse state authorities The outbreaks started to occur in Gross-Gerau district this summer – which has still the most number of finds (235) but the district Bergstrasse is now following closely with 220 positively tested wild boar carcasses of which the majority was found in the last month “These numbers show that the situation is still dynamic,” said Matthias Schimpf local head head of the department of veterinary and hunting affairs in German agricultural title Top Agrar In addition, in Bergstrasse district also 24 wild boar in a small-size wildlife zoo had to be euthanised mid-November, when the virus emerged in its population. In total 5 animals had already died and when all animals were tested, 21 proved to be positive for ASF, wrote the local newspaper Bergsträßer Anzeiger this is the 9th location with animals in captivity where the authorities had to perform culling in Hesse state now 19 farms – or locations with pigs/wild boar in captivity got infected since the virus emerged in Germany in 2020 the ASF problems were exclusively for the states in eastern Germany with 2 one-off farm infections in Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg states the situation is being brought back under control bit by bit as in an increasing amount of districts as carcasses testing positive still continue to be found in Saxony and Brandenburg states along the border with Poland one of them was recently found near the town Gransee about 85 km away from the border with Poland According to the website of the German TSIS a total of 6,373 wild boar have been found infected with ASF all in all the number of infected farms has gone up to 44 in 2024 alone Especially the last infected farm was one to remember a farm of 11,071 animals had to be emptied mid-September due to ASF This farm was located close to the town of Kolki at about 80 km from the border with Germany the number of infected farms is now 552 – this number includes small-size farms as well as commercial facilities A silver fragment found with the hoard in the Westerwald mountain range A metal detectorist in Germany has unearthed a hoard of nearly 3,000 Roman-era coins in an unusual place — north of the empire's defensive lines A metal detectorist in Germany has discovered a rare hoard of almost 3,000 Roman-era coins outside of the Roman Empire's ancient borders and far from any known Germanic tribe settlements of the time Experts don't know how or why the huge hoard ended up there The licensed metal detectorist immediately reported the findings to government archaeologists in Koblenz The subsequent excavation uncovered about 2,940 coins as well as more than 200 thin silver fragments decorated with geometric designs buried in a now-broken ceramic pot hidden between two rocks "Most of the coins are so called Antoniniani, which were the official silver coin in the Roman Empire in the 3rd century [A.D.] but mostly consisted of bronze with a thin silver overlay," Timo Lang head of the Koblenz branch office of the State Archaeology in Rhineland-Palatinate who oversaw the excavation Because of the coins' poor state of preservation most of which depict the portrait of either a Roman or Gallic emperor on one side and other images on the back The oldest coins depict Roman emperor Gordianus III (ruled A.D and the youngest depict Gallic emperor Victorinus (ruled circa A.D The archaeologists are unsure what the silver fragments used to be but the ceramic pot's shape is consistent with third century A.D Related story: Roman coin trove discovered on Mediterranean island may have been hidden during ancient pirate attack so the hoard was probably buried in the early 270s The discovery was made near the town of Herschbach in the Westerwald mountain range 11 miles (18 kilometers) past the Upper Germanic Limes the defensive line that marked the Roman Empire's frontier with the Germanic peoples While third-century Roman coins are frequently discovered within the empire's borders finding such a big hoard outside the empire's former lands is exceedingly rare Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox "Usually coin hoards outside the Roman Empire consist of a few dozen or perhaps a few hundred coins," Lang explained He added that he knew of only one hoard from outside the empire that had more coins from this period — a stash of coins found in Poland —Massive medieval coin hoard worth 'about 150 sheep' discovered in Germany's Black Forest —Hundreds of centuries-old coins unearthed in Germany likely belonged to wealthy 17th-century mayor So how did the coins get into enemy territory One of them is that the Gallic Empire tried bribing German elites either not to attack them Why the coins were hidden in the Westerwald mountains where there weren't any known Germanic settlements Lang's team hopes to analyze the silver fragments with a computed tomography (CT) scanner to digitally reconstruct their original shape The archaeologists also plan to partner with other researchers to identify the rest of the coins Margherita BassiLive Science ContributorMargherita is a trilingual freelance writer specializing in science and history writing with a particular interest in archaeology She earned her BA from Boston College in English literature and her journalism MA from L'École Du Journalisme de Nice in International New Media Journalism 1,800-year-old warhorse cemetery held remains of a beloved horse — and a man considered an 'outsider' to Roman society Pompeii quiz: How much do you know about the Roman town destroyed by Mount Vesuvius Mysterious Tikal altar that wasn't Maya after all includes at least 4 skeletons — and 1 was a child Digest Seeks to Make Universal Jurisdiction Trial More Accessible (Berlin) – Judicial officials in Germany and other countries should redouble their efforts to make justice accessible to victims and survivors of serious crimes “The Koblenz trial was a small step toward justice for atrocities in Syria and ECCHR’s volume seeks to shed light on what happened in the courtroom” said Balkees Jarrah associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch “The volume is a record of how the Koblenz trial unfolded and will hopefully help survivors and scholars understand how serious crimes in Syria were addressed by a court of law.” Anwar R. is the most senior former Syrian government official to have been convicted for serious crimes like overseeing torture, killings, and sexual assault in Syria. A second defendant, Eyad A., was found guilty of aiding and abetting crimes against humanity in February 2021 The trial was possible because Germany’s laws recognize universal jurisdiction over certain serious crimes under international law This allows for the investigation and prosecution of these crimes no matter where they were committed and regardless of the nationality of the suspects or victims ECCHR’s compilation of victim testimonies and other crucial documents about the trial attempts to give affected communities The guilty verdicts in the trial of two former Syrian intelligence officials offered survivors, who played a key role in moving the case forward, a glimpse of hope for justice, Human Rights Watch said Cases brought under the principle of universal jurisdiction remain one of the few viable pathways to justice for serious crimes committed in Syria In Koblenz, the language of the court was German, so survivors, people affected by the crimes, and others who do not speak German depended on the reporting of those who could physically attend court hearings to follow the trial Lack of translation into Arabic of the proceedings marginalized survivor and community participation in the Koblenz trial Non-accredited Arabic language journalists and people from affected communities who spoke Arabic were admitted to the courtroom but not given access to translation devices Courts dealing with universal jurisdiction cases should address this issue by providing interpretation for visitors in the public gallery in relevant languages and by translating news releases and additional case information on their website so that affected communities and others are able to follow developments on a case “Criminal cases in Germany and elsewhere can provide a measure of justice for Syrian victims and survivors,” Jarrah said “National judicial officials should work to ensure that information about these cases is more accessible to those most affected by the crimes.” Justice for Syria in Swedish and German Courts Mass Deaths and Torture in Syria’s Detention Facilities Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808 Koblenz is the National Automobile Dealers Association's Executive Vice President of Strategic Affairs and Industry Initiatives he helps guide the association as it confronts strategic challenges associated with the evolution of the auto industry including the electrification of the fleet Koblenz previously served NADA as EVP of Legal and Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel where he directed the association's Legal and Regulatory Group which represents NADA and dealer interests before federal agencies and courts provides substantive support to other NADA departments and the state and metro ATAEs and produces extensive dealer education materials and legal compliance guidance Prior to his work in the legal and regulatory arena Koblenz was Vice President of Industry Affairs directing the activities of NADA's Industry Relations and Industry Analysis departments as well as the association’s American Truck Dealers division Throughout his tenure in NADA’s executive leadership Koblenz has been instrumental in conceiving and implementing many of NADA’s most central policy positions and strategies These have included the association’s positioning on (1) the evolution of the automobile distribution model (3) the advent of electric and autonomous vehicles (4) the defense of the indirect auto financing model and voluntary protection products and (5) the evolution of data use and sharing in the auto retailing industry Koblenz has championed the building of relationships between NADA and key external constituencies including the vehicle finance and the Wall Street analyst communities he has played a crucial role in advancing NADA’s on-going commitment to diversity Koblenz served for five years as a senior attorney with the American Automobile Manufacturers Association he advised the association on a variety of issue areas including sales Berlin & Morvillo where he specialized in corporate and securities matters Koblenz attended Union College in Schenectady Koblenz is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the American Law Institute The father of three and grandfather of two Questions and Answers about the trial in Koblenz In April 2020 a German court in the city of Koblenz began hearings in the trial of Anwar R both alleged to be former Syrian intelligence officials the first anywhere in the world for state-sponsored torture in Syria is a watershed event for torture survivors and international justice The issues at stake offer a snapshot of what happened in Syria between 2011 and 2012 and the case has afforded victims an otherwise elusive chance to see at least some justice done Anwar R. is alleged to be a former intelligence officer in Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate, one of the country’s four main intelligence agencies commonly referred to collectively as the mukhabarat also known as “Branch 251.” The verdict against Anwar R The prosecution and several witnesses say that Anwar R was a lawyer by training who joined the intelligence services in the 1990s and worked for “Branch 285,” another detention facility of the Intelligence Directorate Evidence introduced at trial indicates he became the head of the investigations department (Branch 251) in January 2011 does not deny working for the Syrian intelligence services but denies ever overseeing torture while he was there which assisted the investigation unit Anwar R contending that their client had no choice to leave his position earlier without risking his and his family’s life Information provided to German authorities indicates the men defected from the Syrian government in 2012 entered Germany as asylum seekers in July 2014 and April 2018 German prosecutors asked the court to impose a life sentence in their closing statements on December 2 a life sentence means imprisonment for an indefinite period of time with the possibility of parole after 15 years The Syrian government continues to detain and forcibly disappear tens of thousands of people. Their families are rarely told where their loved ones are held or whether they are still alive. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), at least 100,000 Syrians remain forcibly disappeared The network also estimates that nearly 15,000 have been tortured to death since March 2011 the majority at the hands of Syrian government forces Anwar R.’s and Eyad A.’s own statements given to German authorities triggered investigations against them If during an asylum interview an immigration case worker comes across information relevant to crimes under the Code of Crimes Against International Law (CCAIL) they send it to a special division at the BAMF and genocide in accordance with the treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and also incorporates provisions on command responsibility The specialized division then shares such information with the federal criminal police which analyzes it and may send specific follow-up inquiries before sending the case to the war crimes prosecution unit for further action This is what happened in the case of Eyad A. According to asylum authority employees and police investigators who testified in Koblenz during a hearing in Eyad A.’s asylum proceedings he revealed his activity within the secret service he claimed to be a witness to violent assaults on protesters during a police interrogation in August 2018 he disclosed his involvement in the arrest of 30 demonstrators in Douma as well as their transfer to the prison of Branch 251 and he also admitted to witnessing their mistreatment These statements triggered an investigation by the police police investigators testified that he filed a criminal complaint with a Berlin police station stating that he felt he was being followed by Syrian intelligence agency members in 2015 He gave information on his work as a Colonel in Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate the federal police contacted prosecution authorities to open investigations In February 2019 the Federal Court of Justice issued two arrest warrants against the accused They were arrested five days later and taken to pretrial detention Testimony from witnesses supported by ECCHR the Syria Justice and Accountability Center (SJAC) the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression and other nongovernmental organizations also contributed to arrest warrants for Anwar R prosecutorial authorities combined his investigation with that of Anwar R. they interviewed over 70 witnesses including former detainees of branches 285 and 251 Defendants in German criminal trials have rights to ensure a fair trial proceeding are each represented by one public defender and one defender they personally chose Public defenders are assigned by the court The defendants’ lawyers are experienced specialists in criminal law and procedure Anwar R. and Eyad A. spent 15 months in pretrial detention before the trial started was detained in a prison in Koblenz during the trial As defendants, Anwar R. and Eyad. A. are obliged to be at the main hearing. Under German law, however, the accused has the right to remain silent during the entire criminal proceeding. Neither defendant has made any verbal statements directly to the court. Anwar R. denied all accusations against him in a letter read out by his lawyers at the beginning of the trial the Human Rights Watch trial monitors reported In it he said that he was never involved in any form of torture at Branch 251 and rejected responsibility for the mistreatment there commented on the testimony of certain trial witnesses and claimed either to not know them or denied that they were mistreated emphasized his early defection from the intelligence services despite the danger to him allowing the court to rely on some parts of his statements Yes. Under German law, the prosecution and the defendant can appeal judgments. Appeals are heard by the Federal Court of Justice. Eyad A.’s defense counsels appealed the judgment The prosecution did not appeal for a longer sentence even though they had requested one from the trial court Universal jurisdiction refers to legal frameworks that permit national judicial systems to investigate and prosecute certain crimes even if they were not committed on the country’s territory are using universal jurisdiction laws to investigate allegations of serious crimes in Syria it is preferable for justice to be carried out in the countries where the crimes are committed Universal jurisdiction reduces “safe havens” where those responsible for these crimes can find impunity and sends a strong signal about the nature and gravity of the underlying crimes However, this form of “pure” universal jurisdiction is tempered by certain procedural restrictions. For example, prosecutors have the discretion not to open an investigation for CCAIL crimes when no suspect is Trials are held before Higher Regional Courts (Oberlandesgericht) Higher Regional Courts in Germany deal with appeals from lower courts and so-called “state protection cases” that relate to serious crimes codified in the CCAIL The chambers dealing with such cases are staffed with five judges Defendants have the right to translation so that they can follow the proceeding Decisions by the Higher Regional Court can be appealed to the Federal Court of Justice German courts have heard cases based on universal jurisdiction (at times together with other bases of jurisdiction) in relation to alleged crimes in countries including Iraq The first structural investigation, initiated in September 2011, covers crimes committed by various parties to the Syrian conflict, but includes a particular focus on the “Caesar photographs.” The second structural investigation covers crimes committed by ISIS in both Syria and Iraq with a focus on the ISIS attack on the Yezidi minority in Sinjar The ICC cannot investigate crimes committed in Syria because the court has no jurisdiction Syria is not a member state of the Rome Statute Unless the Syrian government ratifies the treaty or accepts the jurisdiction of the court through a declaration the ICC could only obtain jurisdiction if the United Nations Security Council refers the situation there to the court with what is called an “ICC referral,” could give the court jurisdiction stretching back to the day the Rome Statute entered into force the ICC would have jurisdiction over war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by nationals of ICC states parties anywhere in the world; but this would not include Syrian nationals will be critical to future domestic accountability processes in Germany and elsewhere Police investigators testimony indicated that the trial in Koblenz is one of the cases that has grown out of this collective effort At least 17 survivors joined the trial against Anwar R as what are known as “joint plaintiffs.” There were no joint plaintiffs in the trial against Eyad A. a victim of the crimes charged in the trial or a family member of a victim who was killed can join a criminal proceeding as a joint plaintiff Joint plaintiffs play a critical role in proceedings Joint plaintiffs and their lawyers can be present at the trial and have the right to: (i) request information on the status of the proceedings; (ii) make statements in court; (iii) access files; (iv) request that further evidence be taken; and (v) ask questions of witnesses and experts Joint plaintiffs must testify and also have the right to give statements during the proceeding The joint plaintiffs in the Koblenz trial are represented by seven lawyers Survivors and families whose loved ones have been forcefully disappeared in Syria have organized numerous events around the trial, shining a light on sexual and gender-based violence in Syria and the forcefully disappeared. Since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011, sexual and gender-based violence in detention facilities has been pervasive At the beginning of the trial, Anwar R. was charged with two isolated cases of rape and aggravated sexual assault. The court updated the charges and legally qualified these acts as crimes against humanity in March 2021 after two victims’lawyers filed a motion to renew the indictment as indictments should reflect the systematic nature of sexual and gender-based violence to do justice to the gravity of the crime The testimony of witnesses who said they were detained in Branch 251 revealed that they had similar experiences after they were arrested by security forces in Syria many reported that they were blindfolded at the outset and beaten with unknown objects on their way to what they claimed to be Branch 251 According to the court in Koblenz, once arrested protesters arrived at Branch 251, they were subjected to a “welcome party” where they were beaten by guards with fists The court said the guards also kicked them and smashed their heads against the wall until some lost consciousness Some witnesses told the court that they were ordered to undress in front of several guards and remained naked Others testified that during interrogations they remained blindfolded They were taken to overcrowded and run-down cells with injured and starving people Many reported hearing screams as they were escorted between rooms and while in their cells Several witnesses testified that they received no information as to why they were detained The witnesses testified to experiencing various types of torture in Branch 251. These included well-documented torture practices whereby Syrian authorities would force the victim to bend at the waist and stick their head and sometimes arms into the inside of a car tire and beat them (“Dulab”) or beating the victim with sticks or whips on the soles of the feet (“Falaqa”) smuggled by a defector code-named Caesar out of Syria were taken apparently as part of a bureaucratic effort by the Syrian security apparatus to maintain a photographic record of the thousands who have died in detention since 2011 as well as of members of security forces who died in attacks by armed opposition groups a forensic doctor analysed nearly 27,000 shots of 6,821 people Based on the physical condition of the victims the expert witness testified to the cause of death and whether the victims’ statements to police investigators about torture matched the forensic findings testified at the trial about her encounters with Caesar She is believed to be the only journalist to succeed in contacting the anonymous defector Over 80 witnesses have already testified in the case A witness stated that Syrian intelligence officers visited and threatened their family in Syria before they testified in Koblenz At one point in the trial names of witnesses were leaked to the press German law allows for several measures to protect the identity of witnesses including: (i) excluding the accused and the public during questioning; (ii) having the witness testify from a remote location via video; and (iii) letting the witness appear anonymously which may include withholding the name and address of the witness and even altering their physical appearance In spite of the risks articulated by witnesses on the stand and the decision of many to withdraw for the most part these measures were not used in the trial To be meaningful, justice should not only be done, but seen to be done. A key barrier to the trial’s accessibility has been the lack of translation Individuals affected by the crimes charged are largely Arabic speaking Although many of the interested Arabic speakers also have a basic knowledge of German especially due to the technical language used and the speed of the conversations in the courtroom there is no translation into Arabic for the public gallery making it very difficult for affected communities to participate and follow the trial the trial remains inaccessible to non-German speakers observing from the public gallery Although journalists are now entitled to use translation devices, the decision by the German Constitutional Court provided limited relief for Arabic-language media, because only a few Arabic-language journalists are accredited and therefore eligible Information about the accreditation process was only available in German at the beginning of the process and the court does not allow any subsequent accreditation Although the court allowed German to Arabic translation for the public gallery on the day the verdict in the case against Eyad A the written judgment itself will only be available in German an audio recording of the testimony would also deter witnesses from testifying The blanket rejection of the request for audio recording does not do justice to the complexity and significance of the trial the safety of the witnesses is the first priority the court could have taken a different view allowing some testimony to be recorded if it wouldn’t put the witnesses in danger or deter them from testifying ECCHR, Human Rights Watch, and several nongovernmental groups and academics made second attempt in July 2021 to obtain an audio recording for the closing arguments. The court rejected the request Nongovernmental groups and journalists have taken it upon themselves to process the content of the trial and share it with the outside world Organizations such as ECCHR or SJAC publish trial reports from each day of the trial The court in Koblenz occasionally publishes news releases on procedural or logistical matters concerning the trial This information is not being translated into English or Arabic neither judicial nor prosecuting authorities have conducted any outreach to the Syrian community in Germany or beyond Inadequate outreach to affected communities in Germany can have direct impact on the success of accountability effortsfor serious international crimes committed in Syria Fear and mistrust on the part of Syrians in Germany inhibits their willingness to share potentially probative information with the authorities Lack of awareness and understanding of the proceedings and systems in place further fuels these attitudes and most likely prevents Syrians from fully understanding these justice efforts and being able to contribute to them In addition to these cases against Syrian state officials, there are numerous cases against members of armed organizations such as the Islamic State (ISIS) or Jabhat al-Nusra who are charged with war crimes and terrorism offences in Syria Many of these proceedings do not take place on the basis of universal jurisdiction since the defendants are German nationals UK and US Forced Displacement of the Chagossians and Ongoing Colonial Crimes Myanmar’s Mass Detention of Rohingya in Rakhine State so it will have to be defused on board the ship The city of Koblenz said in a statement that it would set up alternate accommodations for those affected by the evacuation order Air Force bomb – was discovered in September and was relocated to a secure area for a controlled detonation its downtown core was heavily bombed by the U.S a UK Royal Navy destroyer and Dutch Royal Navy ship safely moored in Odessa were spoofed to locations off-shore of a Russian naval base on Crimea it was a US Navy ship moored in the same port that was spoofed (above) These are interesting cases in several ways A massive fire broke out at the Port of Beirut on Thursday incinerating a warehouse full of tires and oil within the port’s free zone The same area was heavily damaged in the ammonium nitrate explosion that leveled the central port area and the adjacent waterfront on August 4.  According to Lebanon’s civil defense agency the Australian Maritime Safety Authority arranged a medical intervention for an injured aboard a freighter in the Indian Ocean.  On Saturday evening the Spliethoff tweendecker Dolfijngracht called for assistance while under way about 1,000 nauical miles off the coast of Western Australia A crewmember had sustained serious […] The UK government’s new post-Brexit tariff regime will result in both winners and losers The new regime is set to replace the European Union’s Common External Tariff from the end of the Brexit Transition Period on December 31 The UK’s commitment to the ongoing Brexit process and ending the UK’s transition from EU membership […] As the shipping industry works to develop its path towards decarbonization one large shipowner has decided to use the existing technology to start a conversion to methanol while longer-term solutions continue to be developed   Three weeks after its new patrol boat RFNS Puamau grounded during its first patrol the Fiji Navy is reporting the vessel was safely recovered and is being towed to port for an inspection grounded on June 10 in the remote Lau group of islands NB72 Groene Wind met the Sea on September 29 The Groene Wind will be directly chartered to Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy for the maintenance of the Rentel and Mermaid & Seastar (known as SeaMade) offshore wind farms in Belgium DSV Belgium has solid experience in the transport of pharmaceutical products for different customers With a pharma hub based at Brussels Airport a lot of experience and know-how has been built up over the years the forwarder handled one hundred million mouth masks an important milestone for its Belgian organisation that has put […] With close to 100 daily cargo flights operated to a destination network spanning more than 65 cities across six continents Emirates SkyCargo is delivering essential supplies and commodities to people around the world The air cargo carrier is currently operating 11 Boeing 777 freighter aircraft each with a capacity to transport about 100 tonnes of […] with its considerable involvement in eCommerce logistics says that the latest statistics showing that global e-commerce sales hit $25.6 trillion in 2018 are a further vindication of its decision to enter this sector of the international freight market several years ago Callan Marine is serving as the prime contractor to the Texas Department of Transportation for a maintenance dredging project located at the Bolivar Ferry Terminal Work began in May and is estimated to be complete in late July 2020 The project consists of the removal of 600,000 cubic yards of material and […] The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a Marine Accident Brief about an accident that occurred on April 15 involving the towing vessel DeJeanne Maria which struck the end of a submerged dredge pipeline while pushing two spud barges to the Gulf of Mexico The incident occurred on the Mississippi River in Pass […] The naval forces of the US and Bahrain recently staged a joint force training exercise which showcased the interoperability between coalition warships operating I the Arabian Gulf Coalition Task Force Sentinel executed combined exercise Sentinel Shield supporting Sentry and Sentinel patrols in the coalition’s area of operations The guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones and […] Best known as a leading passenger airport serving Germany’s most populated federal state North Rhine-Westphalia Düsseldorf has become transformed into a vital distribution point for medical equipment and other life-saving goods reports that the handling teams are working hard to […] Operators can continue to use pilots and other crew members who have unable to comply with certain training and checking requirements due to the COVID-19 outbreak in support of essential operations this Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) provides regulatory relief to certain persons and pilot schools unable to meet duration and […] Astral Aviation has increased its intra-African network with cargo freighters during the pandemic. While there has been a reduction in capacity to which has been caused by a stoppage of passenger flights and limited frequencies on freighter aircraft Astral Aviation continues to operate cargo freighters from its Nairobi hub to 13 destinations […] now free to marry her partnerDasha Litvinova Full Screen1 / 12Previous photoNext photoRussian artist Sasha Skochilenko (AP Photo/Michael Probst)Freed Russian artist Sasha Skochilenko stands on the banks of the Mosel River in Koblenz (AP Photo/Michael Probst)Freed Russian artist Sasha Skochilenko stand at the banks of the Mosel River in Koblenz walk at the banks of the Mosel River in Koblenz (AP Photo/Michael Probst)FILE - Sasha Skochilenko stands in a defendants cage in a courtroom in St walks escorted by officers to court for a hearing in St Skochilenko was arrested in April 2022 on the charges of spreading false information about the military after replacing supermarket price tags with messages about the Russian action in Ukraine makes a heart sign while standing behind bars in court in St File)Freed Russian artist Sasha Skochilenko shows a painting she made of herself in Koblenz (AP Photo/Michael Probst)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press KOBLENZ – Sasha Skochilenko and Sofya Subbotina are planning to get married That wasn't an option in their native Russia but it's possible now that they live in Germany “We don’t know how or in which city we will do it They reunited earlier this month in Germany, shortly after Skochilenko and other Russian prisoners were exchanged in a historic East-West swap — a happy if unlikely ending to an over two-year ordeal was jailed for speaking out against Russia’s war in Ukraine Subbotina campaigned for her partner’s release while also trying to make her life behind bars as tolerable as possible They talked about marriage in Russia, too, but same-sex weddings have been effectively banned there. Laws restricting LGBTQ+ rights have been on the books for over a decade and intensified since the war began as part of the Kremlin’s campaign for “traditional values,” fueled by its anti-Western views and close ties to the Russian Orthodox Church “I feel that I’m in a really free country,” Subbotina said as they make plans for a life together in the quiet city of Koblenz in western Germany Skochilenko was arrested in her native St. Petersburg in 2022, just weeks after the invasion of Ukraine, for replacing price tags in a supermarket with anti-war messages like saying that Russia bombed civilian targets. She was charged with making false statements about the military, part of the massive crackdown on all dissent over the invasion Subbotina commuted to Skochilenko’s jail at least twice a week The couple didn’t see each other for a year investigators made Subbotina a witness in the case and refused to allow her visits or to receive phone calls from Skochilenko when a person you love can’t visit you,” Skochilenko said Subbotina added it was “very painful,” noting that she knows many women who married imprisoned men — often with the wedding held in pre-trial detention facilities or in penal colonies it gives them the right to get phone calls because they have a certain status in the eyes of the authorities,” she said Subbotina says she eventually was allowed short visits They were always very open about their relationship, despite laws against any public endorsement of LGBTQ+ activities driven by President Vladimir Putin's close ties with the Russian Orthodox Church Skochilenko said it was clear in the early 2010s the Kremlin was headed in a “homophobic direction,” and some of the laws the authorities were adopting drove her to protest back then she said her openness was a form of activism People “often have distorted opinions about the LGBTQ+ community because they don’t know anyone” who loves someone of the same sex Skochilenko was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison — an unusually harsh verdict while awaiting an appeal hearing at a detention center in St she said there was a point when she reached a particular point of desperation about her long sentence She said she was traumatized by the lack of freedom and privacy and the persisting hunger from being unable to eat prison food and Skochilenko recalls bursting into tears for the first time in months Please tell me that I won’t have to serve the entire sentence that some miracle will happen.’ And she said why don’t you hope for a miracle?’” Skochilenko said a prison official told Skochilenko to “urgently” apply for a presidential pardon but the official said she could simply explain her health problems thinking that it would take a long time to even process she was transferred to Moscow without explanation an imprisoned opposition politician that she knew from years earlier There was hardly any reason for them both to be transferred at the same time so it suggested that perhaps something good was happening Skochilenko spent several long days in Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison unable to eat much of the food she was given Subbotina learned of the transfer and rushed to Moscow with a care package visiting every detention center she could think of A flight to freedom — and a new life together The rest became what many Russians critical of the Kremlin describe as the first good news since the start of the war Skochilenko and 15 others were put on a bus where they were exchanged for eight Russians imprisoned in the West the former prisoners were flown to Germany where Chancellor Olaf Scholz greeted them on the tarmac Skochilenko was finally able to embrace Subbotina who flew to Germany when she heard the news The days since then have been “euphoric,” Skochilenko said filled with small pleasures like walking and buying the food she wants — but also spending time with the woman she loves Subbotina particularly enjoys being able to hold Skochilenko’s hand and kiss her in public without worry it is something that is “just in the nature of things.” They've settled for now in Koblenz but want to visit other cities in Germany before they decide where to live permanently They’re eager to learn German and begin their new lives displaying sketches she drew about the prisoner swap -– a moment in history in which she became an unlikely participant She also said she intends to seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder from her time in prison a nurse and a pharmacist whose cancer treatment was successful in Russia hopes to work in the human rights field and help the hundreds of political prisoners in her former country Both admit that they never expected to leave Russia in the way they did I'm very happy that Sasha is with me," Subbotina said with a smile Added Skochilenko: “My relationship with Russia is over Associated Press religion coverage receives support through AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US The AP is solely responsible for this content rewritten or redistributed without permission TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. les vidéos et tous les résultats du tournoi ATP Challenger de Koblenz prévu du 27 janvier au 2 février.. Ugo Blanchet 🇫🇷 (5) bat Michael Geerts 🇧🇪 4-6 6-1 6-4 Alexey Vatutin 🇷🇺 (Alt) bat Gianluca Mager 🇮🇹 (6) 6-4 6-2 Ivan Gakhov 🇷🇺 (Alt) bat Max Schoenhaus 🇩🇪 (WC) 6-2 3-6 6-3 Daniel Masur 🇩🇪 bat Samuel Vincent Ruggeri 🇮🇹 6-4 6-1 Henri Squire 🇩🇪 (1) bat Dimitar Kuzmanov 🇧🇬 (LL) 3-6 6-4 6-3 Geoffrey Blancaneaux 🇫🇷 bat Antoine Escoffier 🇫🇷 (3) 6-1 3-6 6-3 Matteo Martineau 🇫🇷 (4) bat Bernabe Zapata Miralles 🇪🇸 6-2 7-6(5) Giulio Zeppieri 🇮🇹 bat Federico Arnaboldi 🇮🇹 (7) 6-4 6-2 Mika Brunold 🇨🇭 (Q) bat Justin Engel 🇩🇪 (WC) 6-2 6-2 Luca Nardi 🇮🇹 (Q) bat Jelle Sels 🇳🇱 6-3 6-4 Christoph Negritu 🇩🇪 (Q) bat Ryan Nijboer 🇳🇱 (LL) 4-6 6-2 7-5 Jakub Paul 🇨🇭 (LL) bat Rudolf Molleker 🇩🇪 6-4 7-6(2) Max Hans Rehberg 🇩🇪 bat Oleg Prihodko 🇺🇦 (Alt) 6-4 6-4 Florian Broska (Q) 🇩🇪 vs Diego Dedura-Palomero (WC) 🇩🇪 7-6(7) 6-1 Mathys Erhard 🇫🇷 vs Vadym Ursu (Q) 🇺🇦 7-6(5) 6-3 Abdullah Shelbayh 🇯🇴 vs Max Wiskandt (Q) 🇩🇪 7-6(5) 6-4 Jakub Paul (LL) 🇨🇭 vs Daniel Masur 🇩🇪 7-6(4) 7-5 Alexey Vatutin (Alt) 🇷🇺 vs Ivan Gakhov (Alt) 🇷🇺 4-6 6-2 6-4 Henri Squire (1) 🇩🇪 vs Abdullah Shelbayh 🇯🇴 6-3 6-2 Matteo Martineau (4) 🇫🇷 vs Florian Broska (Q) 🇩🇪 6-4 5-7 6-4 Ugo Blanchet (5) 🇫🇷 vs Max Hans Rehberg 🇩🇪 2-6 7-6(5) 7-6(4) Mika Brunold (Q) 🇨🇭 vs Christoph Negritu (Q) 🇩🇪 6-2 6-4 Luca Nardi (Q) 🇮🇹 vs Geoffrey Blancaneaux 🇫🇷 6-2 6-2 Giulio Zeppieri 🇮🇹 vs Mathys Erhard 🇫🇷 6-3 1-6 6-3 Henri Squire (1) 🇩🇪 vs Giulio Zeppieri 🇮🇹 : 6/4 6/7 (7) 3/6 Luca Nardi (Q) 🇮🇹 vs Mika Brunold (Q) 🇨🇭: 6/4 7/5 Ugo Blanchet (5) 🇫🇷 vs Matteo Martineau (4) 🇫🇷 : 7/6 (3) 3/6 7/6 (1) Alexey Vatutin (Alt) 🇷🇺 vs Jakub Paul (LL) 🇨🇭: 3/6 6/2 3/6 Giulio Zeppieri 🇮🇹  vs Luca Nardi (Q) 🇮🇹 : 4/6 6/7 (4) passe logiquement face à son compatriote Ugo Blanchet (5) 🇫🇷  vs Jakub Paul (LL) 🇨🇭: 7/6 (6) 6/4 Fin de parcours pour le lucky looser Helvétique qui s'incline pour la 6e fois en 6 matches face au 226e mondial Luca Nardi (Q) 🇮🇹 vs Ugo Blanchet (5) 🇫🇷 : 3/6 6/3 6/7 (5) Dernier set complètement fou sur cette finale avec le favori qui va finalement céder face à la volonté à toute épreuve du Tricolore soulève son 2e trophée sur le circuit Challenger et grimpe au 159e rang mondial The winning moment 💪 🇫🇷#ATPChallenger | @FFTennis pic.twitter.com/GQROxbRXk8 Which language would you like to use this site in I arrived in the old German city of Koblenz in the afternoon after a long journey still wearing my face mask and smelling of hand sanitizer The first thing that caught my eye was the tulips scattered everywhere Breathing was not easy while wearing a mask deep breath and was filled with the scent of fragrant flowers and the fresh river water I continued walking through the near deserted streets to my destination I’m here to cover the trial for Amnesty International UK I’m also observing the trial as part of my studies for a master’s degree in law and documenting it for Reporters Without Borders One of the men on trial is Anwar Raslan He is suspected of being complicit in the torture of at least 4000 people between 2011 and 2012 in the General Intelligence Al-Khatib Branch in Damascus This torture resulted in the death of 58 people and included cases of sexual violence There were a lot of journalists here representing all the major international news agencies and media outlets. It was hard but necessary to separate my personal feelings from my work. I was previously detained and tortured in Syria I worked on documenting the crimes of Anwar Raslan in the Al-Khatib branch and some of the victims are close friends of mine It was the first time that the torturer and his victims had met in a proper court. But it was not the first time they had ever met. Back in Syria, Raslan was the colonel, the judge, the investigator and the torturer, while the other was only a victim. Anwar, back then, was dominant with a vast array of torture instruments And then my recollections were suddenly interrupted – a relief The first defendant had arrived at the courtroom A different sort of electricity was in the air the torturer does not impose his brutal measures on us – today The man entered the hall but his face was concealed with his hood Journalists and others in the gallery stood up to catch a glimpse Everyone wanted to see the hooded man’s face I was around twenty meters away and I could see the defendant’s hands He was pulling his hood down so hard that it almost separated from his coat Was he afraid of exposing his face to the public and journalists Or maybe it was a fear of being identified by some of his victims this person was Eyad al-Gharib who is charged with torture in at least thirty cases Today, in this court in Koblenz, Germany, the torturer does not impose his brutal measures on us – today, he sits in the dock and hides his face. My recollections – painful and disconnected – were again interrupted. A sudden new electricity filled the courtroom. Anwar Raslan had entered the court. He didn’t conceal his identity. Mansour Omari is a Syrian human rights defender. He is currently studying for an LLM in Transitional Justice and Conflict in London. In Part 2 – Mansour will focus on Anwar Raslan. Together we can fight for human rights everywhere. Your donation can transform the lives of millions. If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you. MVRDV Theater Koblenz . Image Courtesy of MVRDVMVRDV has revealed its design for the extensive renovation project of the Theater Koblenz, in Germany The project includes an interior redesign and a significant backstage element makeover which operates within the confines of the existing structure balances the many requirements of the brief: history preservation is taken into account alongside essential technical improvements and roof rehabilitation the operations building's façade on Clemensstraße will be renovated to give this backstage entrance a contemporary expressive appearance that emphasizes its inclusion in the theater complex clearly separating it from the building's original guest entrance The repair preserved a significant portion of the structure for future use and used biodegradable materials as much as feasible to reduce carbon emissions One of the first items I received after I moved to Germany two years ago was a poster of the “top 25 castles in Europe.” My itineraries for many subsequent excursions around the Continent were set with an eye toward putting an X into as many of the accompanying boxes on the poster as possible and a just-completed trip brought the number to 11 But on my way home last year after a Thanksgiving weekend visit to a Rheinland-Pfalz spa town my attention was wrested from the road in the vicinity of Koblenz by two castles not on the poster also enticed the history buff and literature lover in me it was the scene of the last stand of the final dozen Knights Templar who are said to have fought to the death there in 1312 after five years of relentless persecution begun by France’s King Philip IV and continued by the archbishop of Mainz the castle inspired a poem by Goethe titled “Geistesgruss,” meaning “Ghost Greetings.” The opening stanza says “High up on the ancient tower stands / The hero’s noble ghost Despite a lofty perch over the Lahn River near its confluence with the Rhine the castle is somewhat secluded from the surrounding town of Lahnstein I visited on a sunny Saturday in May and found the crowds at the castle surprisingly tiny I missed the tours starting at noon and 1 p.m. so I ordered lunch at the restaurant just outside the entrance gate The outdoor tables afford patrons a magnificent view of Burg Lahneck’s left-bank neighbor the group consisted of just me and the guide participants are shown an assortment of exquisitely furnished rooms I also was escorted to a balcony with a commanding view of the languid Lahn and the buildings far below A gargantuan portrait of Britain’s Queen Victoria commemorates the travels she made in Germany around 1845 and I found the decorative touches in the chapel striking as well Another feature of the castle is a recounting of the tragic story of Idilia Dubb a 17-year-old Scottish girl whose family was vacationing nearby at a time when Burg Lahneck was in ruins trapping her in a place where no one heard her cries for help Workers restoring the castle a decade later found her remains and her diary I headed across the river to Schloss Stolzenfels The hulking castle dominates its surroundings It took its current form in the 1830s thanks to a renewal project initiated by Crown Prince Frederick William IV of Prussia whose realm had come to encompass the Rhineland roughly 15 years earlier Everything I encountered there was pleasurable from the placid stroll through the lush greenery surrounding the castle to the sights inside to the expansive views of the Rhine I marveled at the pergola garden and the chapel And it almost defied belief that the calming canopy of foliage is right on the edge of full-on urban bustle it only makes sense to have a look around the city as well features a monument at the confluence of the Rhine and the Mosel and is among the most visited places in the region The Schaengelbrunnen statue of a boy spitting water also has become a symbol of Koblenz and there’s plenty to do while wandering the city center Top it all off with a raspberry milkshake at Adaccio the castles alone make for a worthwhile day trip And if there’s ever an honorable mention list for that poster I received Lahneck and Stolzenfels definitely deserve a place on it 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed December and January Cost: Burg Lahneck’s admission charge is 11 euros for adults and 5 euros for children 4 to 14 standard adult admission is 5 euros and 3 euros for youngsters two former members of Bashar al-Assad’s regime are being tried for crimes against humanity perpetrated in Syria torture and deprivation of liberty contrary to international law under the German Code of Crimes against International Law These charges are predicated on accusations that Raslan was involved in the torture of “at least” 4,000 detainees at Department 251 between April 2011 and September 2012 Al Gharib is alleged to have aided in the commission of some of Raslan’s crimes by participating in the pursuit arrest and transfer to Department 251 of at least 30 protestors who were “severely abused” during their detention The Koblenz trial concerns two accused who were not only present in Germany but had gained lawful residence there by attaining refugee status One element that has been missing from the Koblenz trial thus far has been a complete lack of consideration whether Raslan and Al Gharib might enjoy immunity from foreign criminal jurisdiction due to the fact that at the time of the alleged crimes they worked for the Syrian government This is significant not because these two particular accused might be protected from being prosecuted but rather because the failure to engage this subject on the part of the court may lead to doubts as to whether the trial should count as a form of State practice relating to holding former State officials to account for international crimes in foreign criminal jurisdictions the Koblenz proceedings should be counted as State practice concerning the inapplicability of functional immunity to international crimes and to draw the attention of prominent institutions such as the International Law Commission (ILC) the court should formally address the issue on its own initiative Customary international law provides that all State officials are entitled to functional immunity (immunity “ratione materiae”) from foreign criminal jurisdiction for the acts they perform in the exercise of State authority Such immunity continues after the individuals concerned have ceased to be State officials This is well accepted by the vast majority of scholars and States There also seems to be an emerging consensus that the personal immunity (immunity “ratione personae”) of select high-ranking State representatives (in particular prime ministers and ministers of foreign affairs) is absolute and covers all acts for the duration of the official’s term in office Once these high-ranking State representatives cease to hold office they are only entitled to functional immunity eight votes against (including the ILC member from Germany The current version of Draft Article 7 provides in its first paragraph that “[i]mmunity ratione materiae from the exercise of foreign criminal jurisdiction shall not apply in respect of [specified] crimes under international law.” The second paragraph lists genocide torture and enforced disappearance as such crimes five cases for torture and no cases for apartheid or enforced disappearance as examples of scenarios where immunity has been overcome for the prosecution of enumerated international crimes to name two especially well-known judgments as being wholly irrelevant to assessing State practice this scenario is precisely the situation underway at the trial of Raslan and Al Gharib in Germany It may be argued that Special Rapporteur Escobar Hernández is wrong in not retaining these two cases both of which do dismiss the relevance of the accused having acted on behalf of a State in entering convictions most importantly for the purpose of the present analysis her understanding of how to ascertain relevant State practice – an understanding shared by those who voted against Draft Article 7 – risks situating the Koblenz trial as yet another missed opportunity for a judicial body to confirm that under customary international law immunity ratione materiae does not apply to international crimes which states that “[t]he fact that a person who committed an act which constitutes a crime under international law acted as Head of State or responsible Government official does not relieve him from responsibility under international law,” demonstrates that from its very inception the architects of international criminal law specifically envisioned the prosecution of government officials including for acts done in their official capacity While it may be argued that not all crimes listed in the Charter of the Nuremberg Tribunal qualified as customary international legal offenses they all involved some element of State conduct and thus most defendants acted in an official capacity The mere fact of exercising jurisdiction over a foreign State official on charges of international crimes should therefore be counted as a form of State practice evidencing that immunities are inapplicable to criminal prosecutions for international crimes When should Ratione Materiae Immunities be Considered whether the State of the official invokes immunity or not.” Note that immunity ratione materiae is not mentioned even if they are aware that an indicted act was potentially committed in an official capacity do not have an obligation to consider proprio motu whether functional immunity applies until such time as the State an accused is or was an official of affirmatively seeks to invoke such immunity functional immunity only arises when the State of the official invokes it While the right to invoke or waive immunity belongs to the State more often in actual practice it will be the accused official that will first claim immunity from exercise of jurisdiction the forum State would then inquire with the State of the official to ascertain whether or not it is invoking immunity only when the latter invokes the said immunity (“in writing and clearly”) does the forum State court have to decide whether the claimed immunity applies to the charges A trial in Germany is certainly in their best interest – unless one argues that they are entitled to immunity but cannot be removed to Syria on grounds of non-refoulement does not seem to be interested in invoking immunity for these small cogs especially after Raslan spent time fighting against the regime The odds are that if immunity is invoked – especially unlikely given that it would entail Syria formally recognizing that the alleged conduct was performed under its authority – that same immunity would then possibly be discarded for falling within the international crimes exception The Koblenz trial risks becoming – per the ILC’s current but incorrect understanding – yet another example of a case (mistakenly) deemed irrelevant as potential evidence of a trend toward recognizing that functional immunity does not apply to international crimes One potential solution to this paradox would be that domestic courts determine whether functional immunity applies to charges of international crimes would help elucidate whether or not courts believe that functional immunity applies in all cases where a foreign official is involved regardless of whether a particular accused’s home State is interested in knowing the answer it is quite plausible that the Koblenz trial would side with its General Federal Prosecutor who that immunity ratione materiae “does not extend … to international crimes (genocide One final point, the Prosecutor, by commencing proceedings against Raslan and Al Gharib, along with in other cases where arrest warrants against Syrian State officials were issued has already at least implicitly taken the position that functional immunity does not apply to the charged international crimes and thereby set German State practice It is up to the court now to make this implicit position explicit Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: Just Security provides expert analysis and informational resources on the issues that matter most—without paywalls Just Security is an editorially independent daily digital law and policy journal housed in the Reiss Center on Law and Security at the New York University School of Law Support Just Security in shaping a more informed and secure world by making a tax-deductible donation of any size through the NYU giving page Donate Now There was an accident involving a Postbus in Koblenz AG on Tuesday A serious traffic accident occurs on the Aare bridge near Koblenz AG on Tuesday afternoon a car and a Postbus collided head-on at around 1.30 pm The Postbus subsequently overturned and landed on the embankment It was lying next to the road and the cycle path trees prevented it from sliding into a floodplain the bus driver was trapped in the accident had to be rescued and taken to hospital with moderate injuries In addition to the police and rescue helicopter the fire department and ambulances were also deployed "The bus had to be secured and the recovery work will continue for some time," said Daniel Wächter from the Aargau cantonal police The driver of the oncoming car was flown to hospital by rescue helicopter The circumstances of the accident are under investigation The authorities are securing evidence at the scene The recovery of the bus took until the early evening hours The cantonal road was still completely closed on Tuesday evening heading north on the Rhine to Cologne (Köln) is about 70 miles It’s easy to confuse the two cities on a German map because to foreigners the names seem similar heading north on the Rhine to Cologne (Köln) is about 70 miles It’s easy to confuse the two cities on a German map because to foreigners the names seem similar Koblenz has a stable population of around 110,000 that has not changed that much in a third of a century the region’s cultural hub with its High Gothic twin-spired cathedral is still growing a little from 976,000 in 1980 to more than one million residents in 2013 Koblenz is a fun town; Cologne can sometimes seem a crowded city The two rivers Moselle and Rhine meet in Koblenz It’s all walkable but the Uniworld coaches are there for longer distances Here in Mint Place (top image) is the local Market Wife who asks the policeman to clean up what a dog has just urinated on — her basket The middle image is more poignant: three of the “Stumblestones” inserted on to some German cobblestones after World War II to publicize how Nazi Germany treated the Jews; the brass tablets are in front of homes whose occupants were dragged out and sent to the prison camps This town is small enough to be walked easily A smart phone with a map app can be preloaded and used offline to help you find a destination German towns can be so colorful they can be a photographer’s dream Napoleonic French figures in a German city German towns do like their humorous statues here on the way to the eau de Cologne shop-museum A figure in the eau de Cologne shop-museum is not amused by her view of a nearby wall statue of a boy seemingly crouching with his pants down Hitler did not care for Charlie Chaplin certainly after the actor mimicked him in the movie One of the cathedral’s celebrated stained glass windows A former congressman from South Dakota and Pastor Emeritus of Church at the Gate, Steve Hickey, gives his view here on the stupendous wealth of the Catholic Church and the Treasury of this cathedral that was built specifically “to house the gold plated skulls of the Three Magi.” Pastor Hickey sounds as dismayed as Martin Luther was when he “One of the forerunners to the Reformation viewed these ‘relics’ as a fraudulent fund-raising scheme to raise money for Rome Erasmus decided one day to take an inventory of the relics of Rome and published his findings which included two heads of John the Baptist and a bottle of breast milk from the Virgin Mary Calvin later continued this when he published his Inventory of the Relics which showed there were 14 churches in Italy and France that each ‘had’ one of the three nails that held Jesus to the cross.” The golden container, bottom images, is believed to be the reliquary in this 12th century Shrine of the Three Kings. It weighs 661 pounds and measures 6 feet long by 4 feet high. The Compass the Catholic News Service suggests “It contains the nearly complete bodies of the three wise men of Matthew’s Gospel Beside the cathedral stands a museum that this time had an absorbing exhibit of Roman medicine including its surgical instruments The details were printed in languages including English We head back to our river boat to review our photographs and we decide we do have enough for our next article Pan-seared miso black cod with fresh fennel, broad beans, and seafood broth VIDEO: The Costs of EHR Total eclipse of the sun; historic transplant recovery; CARE in medicine – Morning Medical Update VIDEO: The Challenges of EHR Adoption Thinking of starting a family? Don’t become a doctor Fixing a broken heart; dry powder vaccines; Surgical Barbie – Morning Medical Update 609-716-7777 To mark the one-year anniversary of the landmark verdict of 13th January 2022 by a German Court in Koblenz in the world’s first criminal case on state-sponsored torture in Syria, the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) with the support of Human Rights Watch published a compendium of materials including key documents related to the trial The digest includes the full indictments of the two former Syrian intelligence officers who were found guilty of overseeing torture killings and sexual assault and aiding and abetting crimes against humanity in Syria news releases issued by the court and victims’ closing statements The aim of the project is to facilitate a greater understanding of how the trial which was brought under the principle of universal jurisdiction Reflecting on the importance of the project for ensuring a greater understanding of how universal jurisdiction can be used in future to ensure accountability for grave human rights violations and others who do not speak German depended on the reporting of those who could physically attend court hearings to follow the trial … Lack of translation into Arabic of the proceedings marginalised survivor and community participation in the Koblenz trial.” This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License Site by DEV | Login Privacy Policy Contact us privacy@civicus.org Wyndham Hotels & Resorts the world's largest hotel franchising company with over 9,000 hotels across over 95 countries announces the opening of the 112-room Super 8 by Wyndham Koblenz in partnership with leading hotel management company GS Star GmbH The newly built hotel marks an important milestone in the growth of the design-focused economy brand and is the tenth property under the Super 8 by Wyndham brand to open in Germany Super 8 by Wyndham Koblenz joins one of the world's largest economy hotel brands worldwide with nearly 2,700 properties offering affordable innovative accommodation in central locations Since its German debut in 2016 with GS Star Super 8 by Wyndham has expanded its presence across notable destinations such as Munich Super 8 by Wyndham Koblenz adds to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts already strong presence of over 100 hotels and 10 established brands across Germany one of Germany's oldest and most beautiful cities the stylish hotel is within walking distance of Koblenz Stadtmitte station making it an ideal base for visiting popular sights such as St Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and Deutsches Eck an onsite breakfast restaurant and café serving light bites and refreshments for on-the-go travellers as well as bicycle rentals to tour the city Wyndham hotels in Germany and around the world participate in Wyndham Rewards the world's most generous hotel rewards programme with thousands of hotels vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide Hotel website Brand OwnerWyndham Hotels & Resorts A boat is pictured on the shallow Rhine river near Oestrich Winkel as the water level passed below 40 centimeters making ship transport increasingly difficult Germany — As ship captain Stefan Merkelbach navigates his tour boat down the Rhine River through the town of Koblenz passengers take pictures of medieval castles and fortresses along the banks this stretch of the river is between 10 and 20 feet deep but we've got several moorings we can no longer stop at because the water is too shallow," he says parts of the river will be shut to shipping dry summer means that the water level on the Rhine making it too shallow for many ships to pass — a problem for a country that depends on the river for 80% of its water freight Millions of tons of commodities are moved through the Rhine and shipping disruptions are certain to further impact Germany's economy already reeling from global supply chain disruptions and record high energy costs stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine Tourist boats along the shore of the Rhine in the German city of Koblenz are still operating with the low water levels on the river but they've had to stop mooring at several locations due to the lack of water "It's less of a problem for us pleasure cruises but freight ships and tankers are having problems," says Merkelbach "Ships that usually take 2,400 metric tons of freight are now taking only 500 tons so they don't run aground — that's a massive reduction in load." that means more ships carrying fewer goods drifting by a rapidly receding shore of brown rocks topped by dead grass and withering trees "Normally you see these huge container ships carrying goods from Rotterdam," says Adrian Schmid-Breton of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine "But I haven't seen those ships on the river in weeks." Adrian Schmid-Breton is a scientist at the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine He says the low water level on the Rhine this year happens But the last time this happened was four years ago companies are opting to send fewer goods on more ships His commission estimates that low water levels happen But the last time the Rhine was this low was just four years ago German industry lost nearly $3 billion as goods weren't able to reach their destinations saw reduced jet fuel deliveries that year because companies weren't able to deliver fuel by boat companies are scrambling to carry freight aboard trucks instead But it's not enough: It would take 40 trucks to carry the grain that one barge normally could The Koblenz city gauge house shows the point at which the water rose to during an historic flood in the year 651 there is only 5 feet of water at the deepest point in the river near Koblenz The flow of one of the most vital commodities, coal, is in jeopardy, and that could have severe consequences for Europe's biggest economy. "If there are problems transporting coal on the Rhine, we'll see shortages at coal-fired power plants in September, and they may not be able to generate electricity," says Guido Baldi, a researcher with the German Institute for Economic Research He predicts a coal shortage — in addition to ongoing global supply chain problems — will lead to Germany's economic output falling 0.5% in the third quarter as Germany attempts to wean itself off Russian gas and needs coal plants as a backup," Baldi says we'll see electricity shortages starting in September." war and supply chain bottlenecks are sending Europe's biggest economy into a nosedive toward recession of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine says the environmental impact of this drought is equally bad they cannot reach their spawning sites," he says which will have an additional impact on every animal that lives along the river Schmid-Breton is encouraged by rain in the forecast this week but he says the region will need two to three weeks of heavy steady rain for the Rhine to return to normal — not likely as this region heads into what is typically its driest season A container ship passes Pfalzgrafenstein Castle in the middle of the Rhine River in Kaub The Rhine carries low water after a long drought period Esme Nicholson contributed to this report from Berlin Become an NPR sponsor The head of France’s Front National will share the stage with far-right leaders from Germany The French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen is to headline a European gathering of Eurosceptic and far-right leaders in Germany on Saturday as they seek to present a united front in a year of high-stakes elections Organisers of the conference in Koblenz, billed as a “counter-summit”, said participants would set out their joint “vision for a Europe of freedom”. Authorities in the central German city are bracing for a large protest later on Saturday by a coalition of leftwing groups, mainstream political parties and unions. More than 1,000 police officers have been deployed to keep the demos peaceful. Read moreGathering under the banner “Koblenz stays colourful the demonstrators say they plan to play a rendition of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy The conference has already caused controversy after organisers banned many news organisations from attending on the basis that they had “not met journalistic standards in past reporting” The German broadcaster ARD has threatened to sue over its exclusion. Its programme director, Volker Herres, condemned what he described as a “massive encroachment” against the freedom to report He said: “It is a loss for our audience that we won’t be able to report on the meeting of rightwing populist parties in Europe This gathering is of great importance for the future political course of this movement.” Le Pen, the leader of France’s Front National, will share the stage with Frauke Petry, of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), Geert Wilders, of the Dutch anti-Islam Freedom party, and Matteo Salvini, of Italy’s anti-EU Northern League. Read moreAll are members of the Europe of Nations and Freedom group in the European parliament Wilders announced his attendance at the conference on his Twitter feed using the hashtag #WeWillMakeOurCountriesGreatAgain a play on the new US president Donald Trump’s slogan “Make America great again” Wilders’ party could win the largest percentage of the vote in the Dutch parliamentary election on 15 March Le Pen is among the top contenders in France’s presidential vote in April and AfD hopes to enter the German parliament in September “The aim is to outline the Europe of tomorrow,” Le Pen told the French radio station Classique on Friday “Each of us is strongly attached to sovereignty and freedom in general I believe that is what also brings us together is a rejection of the European Union’s laissez-faire policies.” She said none of the participants could be described as extreme right a label that she said was used “by our adversaries to discredit us” a political analyst with the German Marshall Fund told Agence France-Presse the gathering was mainly “just good PR” given that the parties had little to gain from strengthening ties “This is largely to increase media attention,” he said “The reasons why people vote for these parties are purely national and are independent from any alleged cross-national cooperation between the far right.” which led to the conviction of a former regime official earlier this year or “a drop in the ocean,” towards what it will take to achieve justice for Syrians and torture at the hands of the Syrian regime Trials in foreign courts do not come with accountability measures inside Syria Nor have they seen higher level perpetrators and decision makers being held to account These measures are intended to address some of the injustices faced by survivors Rehabilitation is also considered a part of transitional justice with the aim of supporting survivors of human rights abuses with the reconstruction of any aspect of their lives that have been impacted as a result including to their mental health and well-being These forms of transitional justice are not mutually exclusive—they can work in parallel state practice in post-conflict justice efforts demonstrates that truth-seeking is an essential element in achieving justice following conflict or mass atrocities Witness testimony and Eyad’s role in the Syrian government’s crimes are enshrined in an official decision Bellintani says this is important as it represents an official recognition of the experiences of Syrian survivors and of their government’s crimes Criminal prosecutions are more impactful when filed against high-level perpetrators. For this reason, many Syrians saw the case against Anwar Raslan the alleged head of investigations within Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate as a more effective and impactful criminal prosecution than that against Eyad Al-Gharib a former lower-ranking intelligence officer While Raslan once held a high position in the Syrian security apparatus with decision-making power and the authority to order others to perpetrate human rights abuses Al-Gharib claimed that he was merely executing orders being given to him by people like Raslan as it did not correspond to the gravity of the crime and his involvement particularly those with family and friends still inside Syria For Syrians who have been personally affected by human rights abuses and international crimes in Syria efforts toward justice can invoke many responses spoke to the fear and disillusionment among Syrians regarding the outcome of the Koblenz trial “From the perspective of transitional justice or accountability in the long-term Particularly for survivors and victims’ inside Syria…we [still] have a lot of fear about the future because there is no discussion or debate for our future as Syrians.”  Aljizawi speaks to the guilt felt among survivors of such crimes regarding those who remain imprisoned inside Syria “Survival is not only about them being released but also about the others and the ones we left behind We have all of these questions to raise — what about the others still being tortured?”  In March 2021, a few days following the outcome of the Koblenz trial, the Commission of Inquiry of the Syrian Arab Republic released a report detailing a decade of arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances in Syria as well as comprehensive evidence regarding abuses committed in over 100 detention facilities These harrowing findings serve not only as a reminder as to why trials continue to be critical in holding the perpetrators of these crimes accountable but also indicative of the suffering endured by those who are key to the procedures and outcomes of the trial those who have survived torture inside Syrian prisons and are asked to testify in front of their perpetrators are among those most at-risk during the transitional justice process Aljizawi reflects on her own experience hearing the results of the trial as a survivor of torture as well as supporting a family member who testified in the trial “It is unfair to bring traumatized peopled and ask them to testify in the court People are taken from their normal lives and have to speak again and again and undergo pressure from police or court and to go through a lot of detail and recall their suffering.” She emphasizes the importance of family and social support mechanisms for individuals that testify in court I know how tough it is to recall all of these details.” She also mentions the struggles faced by those who cannot testify or are afraid of doing so due to stigma or potential legal or social repercussions of sharing personal details “There are many who might be suffering silently who are unable to share their perspectives I cannot imagine what they are enduring daily whether they have access to social services.” The trial also plays a role when it comes to reparations which are mechanisms undertaken to compensate survivors in an attempt to repair the injuries perpetrated against them Reparations are intended to place an individual in the state that they were in prior to the injury such as through financial means or housing restoration Reparations can also serve to rehabilitate by ensuring that services and care are provided to survivors “Collective reparations” may include symbolic gestures or truth-seeking activities that recognize the extent of the crimes committed The decision in the case of Al-Gharib plays such a role especially as it relates to recognizing the extent of the crimes committed against protesters Al-Gharib’s prosecution is more symbolic for many Syrians because of the role that security agents like him played in targeting peaceful protesters The court holding Al-Gharib accountable for being a part of these actions can play a symbolic role in recognizing the harm that peaceful protesters and their families faced at the hands of perpetrators Post-conflict justice cannot be achieved through one trial or even through trials alone Transitional justice measures should reflect the varied and diverse needs of Syrians—particularly those who are testifying at the stand Procedures taking place during transitional justice process including testimonies made by survivors of torture and sexual violence including those testifying for the first time must account for their mental health and psychosocial support needs of these individuals and their families “If we really want to talk about a transitional justice approach We should think about how to make it about the victims and take their hand and support them in the process of healing Access to justice is not the only approach or outcomes these victims are expecting They also need to be supported through this journey psychologically as well as through psychosocial support provided by their families and their hosting communities.” Efforts toward justice require a comprehensive approach Bellintani points out that those working toward justice in the Syrian context have focused their work on criminal prosecutions and they represent only one element of what should make up transitional justice efforts Aljizawi concludes that transitional justice requires support for survivors and individuals testifying in these trials on behalf of generations of Syrians She emphasizes the need for a community that stands behind survivors and one that advocates for survivors participating in trials within the host community as well as programs and expertise in place to support Syrians with their mental health Only then can further steps be taken to restore some semblance of justice for and among Syrians The Measures give an overview of all research activities in the FONA Strategy international cooperation and research infrastructures The next status seminar of the water cooperation program between the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) will take place in Koblenz from June 18 to 19 Ongoing projects will report on their current status with contributions from Israel and Germany This year's seminar marks the 50th anniversary of German-Israeli water technology cooperation which has supported more than 162 projects involving participants from both countries since 1974 - The use of water technology to reduce the carbon footprint of the water sector or to adapt to significant impacts of climate change - Economic optimization of the water sector - New approaches to water infrastructure asset management pathogens and microplastics in drinking water sources and freshwater systems Registration for the seminar is open until March 14, 2024 via this link Seminar Agenda Proceedings of the 2024 Status Seminar the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) joined a coalition of renowned institutions and academics in a motion before the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz Germany to call upon the court to record and tape the final stage of the historic trial proceedings currently before it—the world’s first-ever Syrian state torture trial Recordings of this significance have the potential to play an essential and unique role in centering survivors’ testimonies and paving the way for future transitional justice and accountability goals.  1 July 2021 – Even though the first trial worldwide on state torture in Syria is historically significant there is no official documentation of the proceedings at the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz research institutions and human rights organizations together with the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights They demand to tape the final stage of the proceedings the closing statements and the announcement of the verdict the Stammheim trial and numerous international criminal proceedings demonstrate that the documentation of such historic trials are a highly valuable contribution to addressing the past to education of future generations and not the least for research purposes The recordings of the Syria trial could play an equally important role” professor for criminal law and modern legal history at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and one of the petitioners legal proceedings are usually neither recorded German courts can order recordings of trials of outstanding historic significance for scientific and historical purposes The recordings are then archived and can be made available upon request The Koblenz court has already dismissed motions on audio recordings twice for reasons of impact on witness testimonials this reason does not justify the full dismissal of audio recordings “The al-Khatib trial is undeniably a milestone in the history of international criminal law – it is the first step to address the crimes in Syria the Syrian state torture system and the Assad regime’s crimes the international community has been dealing with for decades are investigated and prosecuted” says Wolfgang Kaleck Because there is no official documentation civil society organizations such as ECCHR or the Syria Justice and Accountability Center monitor the trial and publish reports of every single hearing only audio recording allows for an exhaustive and objective documentation to fully understand the trial’s significance and the involved parties’ motivations Syrian journalist and human rights defender it is essential to preserve the trial for future generations The proceedings in Germany can form the basis for addressing the crimes committed in Syria for the healing processes of the next generations and to establish a collective memory.” The documentation of criminal proceedings can have a key function for societies as a whole to address systemic injustices all international criminal courts record their proceedings UNESCO also declared the Auschwitz trial records a Memory of the World document The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information The 65km-stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley graphically illustrates the long history of human involvement with a dramatic and varied natural landscape It is intimately associated with history and legend and for centuries has exercised a powerful influence on writers Les 65 km de la vallée du Rhin moyen illustrent de manière vivante la pérennité de l'implication humaine dans un paysage naturel spectaculaire et bigarré Ce paysage est intimement lié à l'histoire et à la légende et exerce une puissante influence sur les écrivains تظهر الكيلومترات الخمسة والستون في وادي الراين الأوسط، بقصوره ومدنه التاريخية وكرومه، ديمومة التدخّل البشري في طبيعة رائعة الجمال ومتعددة الألوان المتجانسة إن هذا المكان على علاقة وثيقة بالتاريخ والاساطير وهو يمارس منذ عصور طويلة تأثيراً كبيراً على المؤلفين والرسّامين والمؤلفين الموسيقيين 延绵65公里的莱茵河中游河谷，与河畔的古堡、历史小城、葡萄园一起生动地描述了一段人类与变迁的自然环境相互影响的漫长历史。几个世纪来，这里发生的众多历史事件、演绎的许多传奇，对作家、艺术家和作曲家产生了很大影响。 65-километровый участок долины Среднего Рейна с замками историческими городами и виноградниками наглядно иллюстрирует длительную историю взаимодействия человека с этим живописным и мозаичным природным ландшафтом на протяжении веков оказывала сильное влияние на писателей ciudades históricas y viñedos que se extiende a lo largo de 65 kilómetros del curso del Rin es una viva ilustración de la presencia y el protagonismo del ser humano en un paisaje natural espectacular de rica diversidad La historia y la leyenda están íntimamente vinculadas a este valle que desde muchos siglos atrás viene siendo una poderosa fuente de inspiración para escritores The strategic location of the dramatic 65km stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen Rüdesheim und Koblenz as a transport artery and the prosperity that this engendered is reflected in its sixty small towns the extensive terraced vineyards and the ruins of castles that once defended its trade The river breaks through the Rhenish Slate Mountains connecting the broad floodplain of the Oberrheingraben with the lowland basin of the Lower Rhine The property extends from the Bingen Gate (Binger Pforte) where the River Rhine flows into the deeply gorged to Oberwesel where the transition from soft clay-slates to hard sandstone no more than 130m wide (and at 20m the deepest section of the Middle Rhine) and then up to the Lahnstein Gate (Lahnsteiner Pforte) where the river widens again into the Neuwied Valley The property also includes the adjoining middle and upper Rhine terraces (Upper Valley) which bear witness to the course taken by the river in ancient times the Rhine has served as a link between the southern and northern halves of the continent since prehistoric times which in turn led to the establishment of settlements these subsequently joined up to form chains of villages and small towns For over a 1,000 years the steep valley sides have been terraced for vineyards The landscape is punctuated by some 40 hill top castles and fortresses erected over a period of around 1,000 years Abandonment and later the wars of the 17th century left most as picturesque ruins The later 18th century saw the growth of sensibility towards the beauties of nature and the often dramatic physical scenery of the Middle Rhine Valley coupled with the many ruined castles on prominent hilltops made it appeal strongly to the Romantic movement which in turn influenced the form of much 19th century restoration and reconstruction The Rhine is one of the world's great rivers and has witnessed many crucial events in human history The stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen and Koblenz is in many ways an exceptional expression of this long history It is a cultural landscape that has been fashioned by humankind over many centuries and its present form and structure derive from human interventions conditioned by the cultural and political evolution of Western Europe The geomorphology of the Middle Rhine Valley is such that the river has over the centuries fostered a cultural landscape of great beauty which has strongly influenced artists of all kinds - poets and composers - over the past two centuries Criterion (ii): As one of the most important transport routes in Europe the Middle Rhine Valley has for two millennia facilitated the exchange of culture between the Mediterranean region and the north Criterion (iv): The Middle Rhine Valley is an outstanding organic cultural landscape the present-day character of which is determined both by its geomorphological and geological setting and by the human interventions that it has undergone over two thousand years Criterion (v): The Middle Rhine Valley is an outstanding example of an evolving traditional way of life and means of communication in a narrow river valley The terracing of its steep slopes in particular has shaped the landscape in many ways for more than two millennia this form of land use is under threat from the socio-economic pressures of the present day The extensive property contains within its boundaries all the key attributes - the geological landscape the vineyard terraces that define this prosperous and picturesque stretch of the Rhine valley and encompass all the key views that influenced writers and artists Thanks to the relatively modest leeway given by the natural landscape of the Middle Rhine Valley to the people inhabiting it this section of the river has undergone fewer changes than others but also thanks to various early attempts to protect the landscape and its historical monuments the landscape has remained largely untouched many of the features and elements that lend the area its authenticity have been preserved However the railways that run along the valley contribute to the noise pollution in the Valley which is a problem that needs to be mitigated In Rhineland-Palatinate the monuments are covered by the 1978 Cultural Monuments Protection Law (Denkmalschutzgesetz) and the 1998 Building Ordinance (Landesbauordnung Rheinland-Pfalz) The landscape values are protected by the 2000 Forest Law (Landeswaldgesetz) 2005 Landscape Conservation Law (Landesgesetz zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung von Natur und Landschaft) and the 1978 Middle Rhine Landscape Protection Ordinance (Landschaftsschutzverordnung Mittelrhein) Monuments in Hesse are covered by the 1976 Hesse Monuments Protection Law (Gesetz zum Schutz der Kulturdenkmäler) as amended in 1986 The 2002 Hesse Building Ordinance (Hessische Bauordnung) also has a significant role to play in monument protection The landscape values are protected by a series of statutes such as the 2002 Hesse Forest Law (Hessisches Forstgesetz) the 2006 Nature Protection and Landscape Conservation Law (Hessisches Gesetz über Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege) the 2002 Planning Law (Hessisches Landesplanungsgesetz) and the 2005 Water Law (Hessisches Wassergesetz) Signatories of the Rhine Valley Charter (Die Rheintal Charta) of November 1997 which include the great majority of communities in the Middle Rhine Valley and exercise care in developing the natural and cultural heritage and the unique cultural landscape of the Rhine Valley the property has been run by the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Association which comprises representatives from all the local and 'county' authorities falling within the region as well as including officials from the federal states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate The association also provides the property's World Heritage manager the job of monitoring the implementation of the management plan in Rhineland-Palatinate was transferred to the state's Structural and Approval Directorate in Koblenz The measures taken in the property serve primarily to preserve historical castles and towns uphold the tradition of winegrowing on the steep slopes of the valley secure habitats for rare animal and plant species and generally ensure that the state of the environment remains unaltered These measures are also designed to underpin the region's economic viability in a bid to dissuade people from moving away and prevent the average age of the region's inhabitants from rising To conciliate economic development to benefit local communities and the safeguarding of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property a Master Plan for the further sustainable development of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Site is about to be compiled The public prosecutor's office in Koblenz has released new details about its investigation into a ship collision that disrupted traffic on the Moselle River for weeks. The incident occurred on 8 December 2024 when a vessel crashed into a lock in Müden the ship was operating on autopilot at the time of the accident and struck the lock at a speed of 12.2 km/h without any attempt to slow down or alter course While autopilot systems are permitted on the Moselle the captain is required to intervene in critical situations Investigators confirmed that no such intervention took place The prosecutor's office also noted that neither alcohol nor drugs were involved in the incident and the ship's engine was found to be fully functional The collision left approximately 70 ships stranded U gebruikt helaas een verouderde internetbrowser. Voor een optimale ervaring met deze website is het aan te raden om over te stappen naar een modernere verie of installeer Google Chrome Frame has decided that the cable car crossing the classified area of the Rhine Valley in Koblenz while calling for all parties involved to find a heritage-friendly solution to access the fortress Ehrenbreitstein The 65km-stretch of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley graphically illustrates the long history of human involvement with a dramatic and varied natural landscape and is one of the most romantic river landscapes in Europe It was inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002 a cable car system was constructed over the Rhine River connecting the town of Koblenz with the fortress Ehrenbreitstein harms the landscape’s authenticity and integrity An exception was then made which allowed the cable car to remain in operation for the duration of the Garden Show and that the dismantling would take place within the agreed deadlines starting in autumn 2013 the local population and the Middle Rhine region were reluctant to dismantle the cable car due to its attraction thus taking the risk of loosing the World Heritage Status for the Upper Middle Rhine Valley Following an article by the editor of the German daily newspaper Rhein-Zeitung arguing against UNESCO the answer of Europa Nostra’s Vice-President Alexander Fürst zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn was published in the Rhein-Zeitung on 12 June and received wide support Fürst zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn says that “the location of the cable car station right next to St the historically most important building in Koblenz was inadequately chosen and had a negative visual impact on the historic landscape of the Rhine shore” He then urged all parties involved to look together with UNESCO for other possibilities to access the fortress while at the same time preserving the cultural value of the site and its World Heritage Status Be one of the first to try our new activity feed On a recent trip to Germany for the annual cycling Disneyland that is Eurobike sitting on the banks of the River Rhine roughly an hour west of Frankfurt For many it’s just an ordinary German town but for bike fans and especially German cycling fans it’s a destination — one of the major players of the cycling world has its operations and sales showroom situated here We’d been invited to visit German bike producer Canyon their headquarters and their brand new assembly facility Many of you will know Canyon through the brand’s sponsorship of the Spanish Movistar squad and the Russian team Katusha. And as has been announced recently the company’s huge range of bikes will soon be available for the first time in Australia and New Zealand which distribute bikes through a network of dealers Canyon has chosen the path of distributing direct to their customers via the internet The company was first to the game with the advent of online sales and has carved itself a place in the European (and part of the Asian) market that several brands are only now venturing into With Trek announcing this year that they’ll be selling via the internet (in a slightly modified way where bikes will be shipped to dealers) it seems that this trend is only increasing There aren’t many companies of Canyon’s size that can claim to have been started from the back of a car When he was racing as a junior back in 1985 his brother Franc Arnold (no longer with the company) would stand at the roadside selling Italian bike products Two years later the first Radsport shop opened (note: “radsport” is German for “cycling”) It wasn’t until 1994 when they acquired a container full of OEM mountain bike frames which they labeled under the very 90s name of Radical that the business started taking a more familiar shape With the company under the guidance of Roman Arnold the first branded Canyon bike was produced in 1996 With US brands being a dominant force in that era — as is still the case — the name was meant as a nod towards the country’s famous geography It wasn’t until 1998 that Canyon actually designed and built its own bike: the FS 1000 full suspension mountain bike Since that time Canyon has adopted a direct sales strategy via the internet The turn of the new millennium saw a rapid growth in development and a plethora of new bikes to demonstrate Canyon’s intention In 2003 a partnership with the University of Pforzheim was forged to give Canyon access to testing premises; a partnership that has now grown to help the company lead the way in internship placements Intern involvement in R&D has had the result of giving the business a relatively young and vibrant workforce A move to larger premises in 2008 — premises that Canyon quickly outgrew — roughly coincided with Cadel Evans taking the rainbow stripes aboard a Canyon Partnerships and Canyon’s sponsorship of teams grew to the point where two WorldTour teams now put Canyon bikes through their paces as too does Katusha’s Continental feeder team Itera-Katusha The company’s history isn’t something that’s immediately obvious when you wander around the massive There are a few special bikes on display in cabinets as you walk into the shop some signed jerseys hanging in a few hallways above the shop but on the whole — and unlike many other brands who like to showcase their heritage — it’s all quite subtle at Canyon Instead Canyon allows its history to trickle out When you start looking about and start adding all the little pieces together you realise it’s a lot: a world-championship-winning bike from Cadel a pink bike from Nairo Quintana’s 2014 Giro d’Italia win Alex Dowsett’s hour record bike … It’s only when you put together the pieces of the puzzle that you realise how active and successful Canyon has been in the sport As you’d expect from any self-respecting German company one aspect that is heavily focused on at Canyon is the technology To guide us through the company’s multiple technologies and testing procedures was Gordon Koenen who works with the R&D and quality assurance team particularly on the mountain bike side of things Away from the design offices Gordon takes us to the testing centre Inside a secure room sit multiple bike torture tests; machines that see how a frame responds to not just the industry safety standard (ISO 4210) but above and beyond to what Canyon feels is suitable The sound of pistons forcing carbon in multiple directions and frames being abused make it a deafening place to work The bikes are tested by a total of 12 machines across two areas One of those is the aptly named ‘non-destructive area’ where all the NDT takes place “There we are handling all the performance characteristics of the bikes,” Gordon explained fork stiffness – and even hanger stiffness – which is something we have learnt from our pro teams as before it [hanger stiffness] wasn’t a goal for us.” “Only two out of the 12 machines are purchased as pre-built testing rigs The rest are custom designed … with the help of the University of Pforzheim.” “In the stress-testing area a bike will take half a day to fully test In the destructive testing it takes much longer maybe a week because some of the machines can run for a day or a day and a half … it depends on the testing.” The ISO 4210 standard requires manufacturers to test a bike for a rider of weight 120kg plus backpack and with the expectation that the bike will be used for five years “For us though it’s hard to say as we have customers who are riding 20,000 km a year and customers who ride 100 km a year,” Gordon said “But we get really good information from our pro riders as it’s ridden really hard Plus for the pros we have no special bikes or forks for them They get the same mass production bikes as everyone else gets.” “Sometimes we have too many bikes for a team so they go back into stock but other times too little,” Gordon said “For example last year we brought out our new aero bike the Aeroad and we expected one or two riders from Katusha and Movistar would like to ride it “Then all of a sudden all the riders wanted to use it Then they get new riders with a new contract so they need different bikes It’s tough but we have to adjust to it and try to plan for it.” Off to one side of the testing room sits a hulking great machine beside which stand two men with a box full of road forks With a clunk the doors slide open and a fork is removed What we’ve just seen is the CT scanner in operation one in Germany and the other in Asia at the factory that manufactures the company’s high-end models in which each carbon fork that is intended for sale is checked for defects It’s a labour-intensive job but it is pointed out that recalling a fork would cost the company more than the €500,000 the machines cost it’s particularly important that forks are 100% quality checked as it’s a single point of failure and other products are all checked for defects and to see if the carbon assembly is up to Canyon’s standard Canyon claims that they are the only bike manufacturer to carry out this level of quality control with a CT scanner With Canyon growing at a rate quicker than expected the company has already outgrown the Koblenz assembly plant and found temporary premises while their new state-of-the-art assembly and warehousing facility is ramping up to capacity employees are exceptionally keen to get the doors to the new factory open and the warehouse running at full capacity It’s a 15-minute car ride from Koblenz to the new location Once past the electronic gates we were inside a very German-looking factory floor While we were there testing was being undertaken on the high-tech conveyor belt system moving bikes from frameset to finished product and then on to the massive shelving space in as little time as possible At each of the 18 stations along the conveyor belt a mechanic has 60 seconds to place their component on the frame At the end of the belt is a long but slim indoor road where the bikes get a “road test” before being boxed up in Canyon’s ‘Bikeguard’ boxes At the temporary assembly premises 400 bikes are being built per day but this is expected to increase substantially when the new premises are open Back at the head offices and sitting with Markus Imhof the man who’s in charge of getting the Australian and other international markets off the ground conversation turns to the cycling culture among the staff Rows of staff town bikes line the racks at the side of the building with more expensive personal bikes kept inside There are weekday staff rides for both the road and MTB enthusiasts and three “Pure Cycling” events a year: two for staff and one major day for staff As with many brands we’ve visited in the past it’s evident that the company lives and breathes cycling internally just as much as it projects a love of cycling externally Markus also points out something we’ve missed: a mini dirt track at the side of the carpark — a perfect location for customers who want to test the latest mountain bikes It’s obviously been constructed with staff in mind as a lunchtime playground Prototypes are tested and lunchtime calories burned as is the case when you get cyclists together because its built as two figure-of-eight courses you can race,” Markus told us “It can get pretty competitive at times; we’ve had dislocated shoulders and broken bones,” he laughs “The most recent was one of the product managers — he dislocated his shoulder after dialling in a new bike for (pro mountain biker) Thomas Genon.” Canyon is a brand that is slowly but surely disrupting the market with its purely online sales strategy The Koblenz facility is the company’s only showroom in the world and the rest of the markets depend on Canyon’s website as their point of sale and use after-sales service centres Canyon says there’s no plan in place to deviate from this and after seeing inside the company’s two premises it’s clear the supply chain and sales model is working for them and focus on innovation has seen Canyon grow from a mid-range brand to a powerhouse in performance cycling Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker the trial continues against the head of interrogation at the Branch with a judgement expected by the end of this year Since German law does not allow for in absentia proceedings the presence of Raslan and Al-Gharib in Germany allowed the case to move to trial Al-Gharib, who was convicted largely on the basis of his own self-incriminating statement to German police and to have been aware of abuse at the detention center The court found that Al-Gharib took part in arresting protestors at a 2011 demonstration and transported them to Branch 251 It is further worth noting that none of the victims who joined the trial as civil parties (i.e “plaintiffs”) brought complaints against Al-Gharib personally but with no designated venue for prosecution The trial in Koblenz is therefore a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for Syrians and symbolizing greater accountability by prosecuting senior leaders and those most responsible for atrocity crimes But “Not only must justice be done; it must also be seen to be done.” But there is no publicly available official record of proceedings This will likely create obstacles to building cases against senior leaders and begs the question as to who of the millions of Syrians with some connection to the Syrian government should be prosecuted This will be a significant challenge as Syrians grapple with the conflict of the last 10 years and chart a path forward that includes comprehensive justice and the possibility of reconciliation war crimes units in these countries should take heed of these lessons to maximize the impact of their efforts Legal Director at the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) Every year, the spectacular ‘Rhine in Flames’ event draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the banks of the Rhine in Koblenz to enjoy the largest passenger boat parade in Europe The convoy is up to 5.5 kilometres long and carries 35,000 passengers On the second weekend in August every year up to 60 passenger ships form a boat parade along the 17 kilometre stretch of the Rhine from Koblenz via Rhens the return trip starts and the passengers all come out on deck they can enjoy the houses and castles along the Rhine lit up by a series of spectacular fireworks Clever signalling and precision work by the firework crews guarantee that all the guests can enjoy the fireworks whatever their position in the boat parade Fireworks at Marksburg Castle in Braubach for Rhine in Flames This pulls out all the stops for a cutting-edge display of pyrotechnics The impressive finale culminates in a shower of golden rain that seems to go on forever Rhine in Flames boat parade in the Spay/Koblenz section The Rhine villages between Koblenz and Boppard not only put on fireworks they also stage a varied programme of street parties guided town and castle tours and live music The three-day ‘Koblenz Summer Festival’ also features 400 artists across nine stages near the Deutsches Eck takes place every year on the Romantic Rhine: Starting with the first fireworks spectacle in Bonn in May followed by the section between Bingen and Rüdesheim in July the series ends in September with an event in Oberwesel and concludes with an event in the river section between St Lively Rhine bank at the Koblenz Summer Festival Grand fireworks finale above Ehrenbreitstein Fortress Koblenz for Rhine in Flames Enjoy the spectacle of the Romantic Rhine valley and its castles illuminated in the radiance of the "Rhine in Flames"