Former general for Syria’s Assad pleads not guilty in torture trial
Summary
A former Syrian general, Khaled al-Halabi, denied torturing opponents of President Bashar al-Assad during a trial in Vienna, Austria. He and a former police chief face charges of torture and other abuses linked to the Syrian civil war.Key Facts
- Khaled al-Halabi, a former Syrian brigadier general, pleaded not guilty to torture charges in an Austrian court.
- The charges include torture, aggravated coercion, sexual coercion, and severe bodily harm.
- Al-Halabi and former police chief Musab Abu Rukba are accused of crimes in Raqqa, Syria, from 2011 to 2013.
- Both men could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
- The accused have lived in Austria since seeking asylum in 2015, so the Austrian court has legal authority to try them.
- Prosecutors say torture was ordered systematically with standard methods like beatings and hosing down detainees.
- Al-Halabi claims no government orders were given to use violence and denies any torture happened under his command.
- The trial is expected to last until June 30, with victims from Syria and Europe set to testify.
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