A former Syrian general who served under ex-President Bashar al-Assad has pleaded not guilty in a torture trial taking place in Austria.
Brigadier General Khaled al-Halabi appeared before a court in Vienna alongside former police official Musab Abu Rukbah, where both denied charges related to torture, coercion, sexual abuse, and serious bodily harm during the Syrian civil war.
Prosecutors allege the accused were involved in the mistreatment of opponents of the Assad government in the Syrian city of Raqqa between 2011 and 2013, during the early years of the conflict.
According to the indictment, the defendants either ordered, participated in, or failed to prevent acts of torture and abuse against detainees linked to anti-government protests. Both men could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The trial is considered one of the rare cases in which a European country is using universal jurisdiction laws to prosecute alleged crimes committed during the Syrian war outside its territory.
Khaled al-Halabi, who has been in Austrian custody since 2024, denied witnessing or participating in torture, insisting he had no role in abuse carried out by security forces under the Assad-era government.
Human rights organizations and Syrian activists say the case is an important step toward accountability for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Syria’s long civil conflict.
Several similar cases linked to alleged abuses by former Syrian officials have previously been prosecuted in countries including Germany, France, and Sweden under international justice mechanisms.