Former general for Syria’s Assad pleads not guilty in torture trial

Brigadier General Khaled al-Halabi faces charges of aggravated torture, coercion, intersexual coercion and bodily harm.

A erstwhile Syrian wide has pleaded not blameworthy successful an Austrian tribunal to torturing opponents of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Brigadier General Khaled al-Halabi made his plea arsenic the proceedings opened connected Monday successful the Austrian capital, Vienna. Alongside constabulary main Lieutenant Colonel Musab Abu Rukba, al-Halabi faces charges including torture, aggravated coercion, intersexual coercion and inflicting superior bodily harm. Both look up to 10 years successful prison.

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Former quality serviceman Al-Halabi, 63, has been successful pre-trial detention since 2024. Along with 54-year-old Abu Rukbah, helium is alleged to person committed the crimes successful the Syrian metropolis of Raqqa betwixt April 2011 and March 2013.

Several similar cases relating to crimes committed during the Syrian civilian warfare person been tried successful different countries, including Germany, France and Sweden.

Prosecutors accused the brace of “having, connected galore occasions, ordered oregon failed to reason the mistreatment of members of a protestation movement”.

Halabi – a Druze, who fled Raqqa successful 2013, conscionable earlier ISIL overran the metropolis – denied that torture happened portion helium was successful command.

There were “no instructions” from the authorities to usage violence, helium told the tribunal done a translator arsenic masked, equipped constabulary stood guard.

He added his portion conscionable took down the idiosyncratic details of those held and did not behaviour immoderate investigations.

At the clip of Halabi’s indictment, activists considered him the highest-ranking Syrian authoritative liable for abuses contiguous successful Europe.

Abu Rukbah did not testify. His lawyer, Philipp Wolm, said determination was nary grounds against him.

The 2 Syrians applied for Austrian asylum successful 2015. The Vienna tribunal has jurisdiction due to the fact that the defendants reside there.

‘Standardised torture methods’

The prosecution said Halabi received “direct instructions” from the Assad government and unit was utilized “systematically” with “standardised torture methods”, including beatings and being hosed down.

“Twenty-one individuals detained successful prisons were tortured and abused arsenic portion of the crackdown connected a civilian protestation movement,” Austrian prosecutors said successful their connection up of the trial.

In 2016, the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), a radical that gathers grounds for alleged warfare criminals, informed Vienna of Halabi’s alleged crimes.

The proceedings is scheduled to past until June 30, with alleged victims surviving successful Syria and Europe expected to testify.