A court in Vienna does a not‑nice job for a former Syrian spy chief
Khaled al‑H., who ran Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate in Raqqa from 2011 to 2013, was found guilty by an Austrian court of torture, sexual abuse and serious bodily harm.
A second former police chief, Moussab Abou R., was also convicted for abusing political opponents. Together, the two men each received an eight‑year prison sentence.
The courtroom recounted harrowing testimonies: victims were stripped, beaten, shocked with electric cables and doused in hot and cold water. Many suffered lasting mental trauma.
Prosecutors said the abuse aimed to suppress the 2011 uprising against Bashar al‑Assad and fear the population. Both men denied the charges; Khaled al‑H. claimed he had not witnessed torture and said his minority background forced him into compliance.
This case is rare in Europe, showing that Austria will take jurisdiction over crimes committed by Assad’s regime agents.
The men had asked for asylum in Austria in 2015, and the fallout has sparked global attention on accountability for war crimes.
Note: Both men can appeal the verdicts; the story continues as the courts weigh evidence and rights to re‑trial.
