Former Syrian Intelligence Chief Convicted in Vienna
Khaled al-H. (C) served as head of Syria's General Intelligence Directorate in Raqqa from 2011 until 2013.
A former Syrian intelligence chief in Raqqa has been found guilty by a court in Vienna, Austria, of torture and sexual abuse against opponents of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
A second Syrian official, the former police chief in Raqqa, was also convicted of abusing political opponents.
This case in Vienna represents a relatively rare instance of a European country asserting jurisdiction over crimes committed by agents of Assad's government.
Details of the Convicted Officials
The former intelligence chief, identified only as Khaled al-H. due to Austrian privacy regulations, led Syria's General Intelligence Directorate in Raqqa from 2011, coinciding with the start of the uprising against Assad, until 2013 when the Free Syrian Army took control of the city. Following this, he fled Raqqa.
Khaled al-H., a member of the Druze ethno-religious minority, was found guilty of torture.
Both Khaled al-H. and the second man, named as Moussab Abou R., were found guilty of sexual coercion, aggravated coercion, and inflicting serious bodily harm.
Each has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Prosecutors' Statements and Defendants' Denials
Prosecutors stated that on numerous occasions, the men either ordered or failed to prevent the abuse of anti-government protestors in Raqqa.
Both defendants denied the charges. Earlier in the trial, Khaled al-H. asserted that he neither ordered nor witnessed any torture at his workplace.
He also claimed that, as a member of the Druze minority, he was compelled to follow orders.
"The torture was carried out to suppress the protest movement against the regime at the time and to intimidate the population," prosecutors said.
Victims' Testimonies
Several victims, former detainees from Raqqa, traveled from various parts of Europe and Syria to testify during the trial. They recounted being stripped naked and beaten, subjected to electric shocks, or doused with hot and cold water.
One man described being struck on the soles of his feet with electric cables. The court heard that many victims continue to suffer from lasting mental trauma as a result of the abuse.
Asylum and Intelligence Operation
Both Syrian officials applied for asylum in Austria in 2015.
According to media reports, Khaled al-H. was brought to Austria by the former domestic intelligence service, BVT, at the request of the Israeli spy agency Mossad as part of "Operation White Milk."
The Austrian Press Agency reported that the agreement was overseen by Austrian official Martin Weiss, the former head of the BVT.
Weiss is currently a fugitive in Dubai and is wanted for possible connections to Jan Marsalek, a fugitive Austrian spy believed to be in Moscow.
Legal Proceedings
Both men retain the right to appeal the verdicts.
