Following a storm of controversy and criticism over his return to Syria as a free man despite ongoing prosecution in Austria for mistreating detainees, Syrian security forces have arrested former security officer under Bashar al-Assad, Musab Ahmad Abu Rakabeh.
The Syrian internal security forces in Daraa, in collaboration with the Anti-Terrorism Directorate, apprehended the former captain of the criminal and political security branches in Raqqa during the former regime, in the city of Nawa, according to the "SANA" agency.
The agency indicated that Abu Rakabeh "escaped before the punishment was executed and illegally slipped into Syrian territory, where he was located and arrested in Nawa. He has been referred to the relevant authorities to complete legal procedures, preparing to be presented to the specialized judiciary to receive his fair punishment."
Sentenced to 8 Years
This development follows Abu Rakabeh's conviction by a Vienna court last month for causing bodily harm, aggravated coercion, and sexual assault on detained opposition members during Assad's regime. At that time, he was the head of the Criminal Investigations Department in Raqqa, Northern Syria, more than a decade ago. The defendant pleaded not guilty.
However, Abu Rakabeh left Austria while appealing an eight-year prison sentence, arriving in Nawa earlier this August, where his family held a celebration upon his return, Reuters reported.
This sparked significant outrage among Syrians on social media, with calls for accountability.
A spokesperson for the Austrian court that convicted Abu Rakabeh explained that authorities did not expect the defendant to flee before completing his trial, as he had been living in Austria since 2014 and was seeking asylum there with his family. The spokesperson added that Abu Rakabeh was not detained during the trial, nor subjected to any other restrictions, and exiting Austria did not breach the country’s laws or court orders, given the ongoing appeal proceedings against his sentence.