Assad-era security official captured in Syria

**Syria arrests former security officer accused of torturing detainees under Assad**

Mussab Abu Rukba, a former security officer under Bashar al-Assad, has been arrested in Syria. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in Austria for torturing detainees, but fled the country and returned to his hometown in southern Syria, Reuters reported.

Former lieutenant Abu Rukba was arrested in an operation by the Syrian internal security forces and the Counter-Terrorism Department in the Deraa province. Last month, a Vienna court found him guilty of causing bodily harm, violence and sexual assault against detained opponents of former President Bashar al-Assad. Abu Rukba has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He left Austria after appealing his eight-year prison sentence. Abu Rukba arrived in Nawa in early August and his family held a ceremony to celebrate his return. Authorities have been monitoring his movements since he entered Syria illegally.

After his arrest, Abu Rukba was handed over to the relevant authorities to complete legal proceedings. A criminal case is expected to be opened against him. However, it is not yet known what charges he will face in Syria, nor whether Austria has requested his arrest or extradition.

A spokesperson for the Austrian court said at the time that Abu Rukba was not considered to be a flight risk, as he had been living in Austria since 2014 and had sought asylum with his family. The spokesperson said that he had not been held in custody or faced any other restrictions during the trial, and that his departure from Austria while his appeal was pending did not violate the country’s laws or court orders.

**Bashar Assad, his brother and two cousins sentenced to death**

For information, on August 11, a Syrian court sentenced Bashar Assad to death in absentia for crimes during the civil war. This was the first such sentence under the new government. Six former military and security officials were also sentenced to the same punishment.

Among them are Assad's brother Maher, who led the army's elite 4th Division, and his cousin Atef Najib. Najib previously served as the head of the political security service in Deraa province. He was accused of leading the brutal suppression of anti-government protests in Deraa in 2011. It was these events that later triggered the 14-year-old Syrian civil war.

On August 18, another cousin of Bashar Assad, Wasim Assad, was sentenced to death. He was accused of numerous murders committed during the civil war.