Trial of the largest suspect in Syrian war crimes in Vienna
A former high-ranking Syrian intelligence officer is on trial in Vienna for overseeing the torture of detainees in a secret prison in Raqqa. This case, expected to begin hearings in the spring of 2026, is the first of its kind at this high level in Austria.
The main accused, Khaled Al-Halabi, was in charge of Branch 335 of the Syrian intelligence service from 2009 until March 2013. Charges were also brought against another officer with the rank of Major in the Raqqa police who worked with him during the same period.
According to the indictment issued by the public prosecutor's office in Vienna, the detainees under their responsibility were subjected to horrific forms of torture, including beating—especially on the feet—electrocution, pouring cold and hot water, as well as sexual violence in some cases. The cells were severely overcrowded or smaller than one square meter, and many survivors still suffer from severe psychological trauma.
Many suspicions surround the way Halabi arrived in Austria. In 2015, he was transferred from France to Vienna through cooperation between the dissolved Austrian domestic security agency BVT and the Israeli Mossad, in a secret operation named 'White Milk'. Despite warnings from human rights organizations and documents provided by the CIJA organization specialized in gathering evidence, Halabi obtained asylum in Austria—a step currently under scrutiny.
For the victims and human rights defenders, this trial represents an important step towards achieving international justice. One of the victims' lawyers stated that this case proves that serious crimes—even if committed in Syria years ago—should not go unpunished simply because their perpetrators fled abroad.