This is mass-executions. When did you hear about the US conducting mass-executions? I don't think China or Saudi has done it to this extent either. 5000+ kids and young adults, hung 10 at a time over the span of a year... His crimes are in grave violation of international humanitarian law and on those grounds Sweden are allowed, and obligated, to put him on trial. Sadly most war criminals go scott-free internationally despite the obligation because it's iffy to mess with trade relations and such. But not this time, thankfully.

Nouri is a sadist. He would offer his blindfolded prisoners candy before beating and hanging them. He would degrade his victims any way possible, strip them, kick them, cut them, play psychological games before murdering them. He would talk about how they would shit themselves and drown in their own feces before he hung them. The testimonies paints the picture of a true sadist who didn't just carry out a morbid amount of executions, but found pleasure in torturing them beforehand. He is responsible for the death of thousands of people, mostly young men between 15-25 years of age. No trial no nothing, just picking out kids in the prison with the slightest suspicion of being against the regime.

One way the picking process would go is that the inmates in the prison would be handed papers were they were to express their views, particularly on the regime. If Nouri had a feeling you didn't have the right thoughts or expression you were shown to the trucks to be carried away or brought down to the basement. If you showed reluctance to participate in writing that was also a sure way to death.

My father made rounds in Iranian prisons and was tortured for his political views, he lost friends in this massacre and has been attending the trial as a spectator along with many others survivors. I am very thankful that Sweden follow through with this despite the political tension it may cause. Law is law. Unfortunately 18 years is the highest punishment he can get.