Syrian acquitted

Second defendant in the Anna case: “Not guilty”

The disturbing case is keeping the public prosecutor's office and courts busy (symbolic image).

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/motortion)

The Anna (name changed) case is being heard again in Vienna's Landl district. This time, a 16-year-old had to answer for rape and sexual assault. According to the Vienna District Court, he allegedly assaulted the then twelve-year-old in a parking garage in Favoriten. However, the first case in the case ends with a non-appealable acquittal: "There was never any question of violence."

On Thursday, the second charge in the Anna (12) case will be heard in Vienna's Landl district. This time, a 16-year-old Syrian will have to answer to the judge for rape and sexual assault. According to the Vienna public prosecutor's office, he allegedly lured the 12-year-old into a parking garage and raped her at the beginning of 2023. The boy pleads "not guilty". 

Lawyer: "She did nothing under duress"
His lawyer Andreas Reichenbach is outraged by the accusation: "This is far-fetched. There is nothing to suggest that she did anything under duress." Moreover, his client had not had any sexual contact with the girl. "There are chats that exonerate him," says Reichenbach and presents corresponding messages from May 19 as a screenshot. In it, the accused apparently addresses Anna via Instagram. He asks her why she claimed that he had had sex with her - although this is not true. The victim is said to have replied in denial. He no longer knows why he later deleted the chat.

The allegations are far-fetched. There is nothing to suggest that she did anything under duress.

Anwalt Andreas Reichenbach

Bild: Anja Richter

The accused, who was accompanied to the trial by his parents, told the judge that he had met Anna in Helmut-Zilk-Park in Vienna-Favoriten. When he later saw a video of the girl having sex with another boy, he deleted her Snapchat account. "There were others," he says, adding that he had seen pictures or videos showing young people who did not appear in the nude. He therefore suspected that Anna had mistaken him.  

Mother: "My daughter is in a very bad way"
Regarding the accused sexual assault, he says that his Instagram account was probably used by one of his friends: "I didn't write that."

Anna's mother is also present at the trial. "My daughter is in a very bad way," she tells the Krone. That's why her father stayed at home with her this time. 

Acquittal without doubt
However, the jury's verdict is quick: the defendant is not acquitted on all counts. "The facts of the case are simply not fulfilled. There was never any talk of violence." This is proven by chat messages.

The mother and the whole family are very shocked by the decision of the jury. However, the court's decision must be respected.

Opferanwalt Sascha Flatz

The mother runs out of the courtroom in tears after the acquittal is announced. Victims' representative Sascha Flatz: "She and the whole family are very shocked by the decision of the jury. However, the court's verdict must be respected." However, he is positive about further proceedings in the case: "This was an isolated case that was difficult to solve. It was a different crime scene and time. It has nothing to do with the other cases, except that the accused and the perpetrators knew each other."

"My client received hate messages"
Defense lawyer Andreas Reichenbach, however, is sharply critical: "It hit him hard that he was portrayed in this way. He was considered a rapist at school. My client also received hate messages." The public prosecutor's office has not yet issued a statement on the acquittal.