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An Austrian court in Vienna has begun the trial of a former senior Syrian military officer accused of serious human rights abuses during the early years of Syria’s civil war.
Former brigadier general Khaled al-Halabi appeared in court on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including aggravated torture, coercion, sexual coercion, and causing severe bodily harm. He is being tried alongside former police officer Musab Abu Rukba, who is also accused of involvement in the alleged abuses.
According to prosecutors, the alleged crimes took place in Raqqa between 2011 and 2013, during the crackdown on protests against then-president Bashar al-Assad. Authorities say detainees were subjected to systematic mistreatment, including beatings and other forms of abuse described as “standardised torture methods.”
Prosecutors further allege that the defendants either directly ordered or failed to stop the abuse of at least 21 detainees. Both men deny the allegations. Al-Halabi told the court, through an interpreter, that no torture occurred under his command and that detainees were only processed and recorded.
Al-Halabi, who reportedly left Syria in 2013 before the Islamic State takeover of Raqqa, has been held in pre-trial detention since 2024. Abu Rukba has also denied wrongdoing, with his lawyer arguing that there is insufficient evidence against him.
The case is being heard in Austria because both defendants currently reside in the country after applying for asylum in 2015. Human rights investigators say evidence in the case was gathered and submitted by the Commission for International Justice and Accountability, which has documented alleged war crimes committed during the Syrian conflict.
The trial, which is expected to continue until the end of June, may include testimony from alleged victims now living in Syria and across Europe.
The proceedings are part of a wider series of international prosecutions targeting alleged abuses committed during the war under Assad’s government.
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