Thursday, September 25th, opened the trial in Vienna of 10 teenagers and one young adult, all from migrant backgrounds, accused of months-long sexual abuse of a 12-year-old Austrian girl.
The defendants, aged 16 to 21, allegedly forced the girl to engage in sexual acts repeatedly between March and June 2023.
The group consists of mostly unemployed young men originating from North Macedonia, Syria, Turkey, and Bulgaria. Authorities report they met while hanging out in parks in the Favoriten district. Several members of the gang were already known for violence and property crimes. The assaults are alleged to have occurred in a hotel, parking garage, stairwells, and private apartments—with some incidents reportedly recorded on mobile phones.
The trial is being conducted under strict security measures. Photography and filming are prohibited in the courtroom, and questioning of the mostly juvenile defendants or reading of the indictment is likely to occur behind closed doors, court spokesperson Christina Salzborn said. The protection of the victim and compliance with the Juvenile Justice Act are the top priorities.
The proceedings are scheduled for two days.
The case has shocked Austria and drawn national attention, highlighting ongoing concerns over migrant-related crime. Earlier this month, a Somali teenager assaulted three members of staff at a local middle school, threatening a custodian with a cigarette lighter and attacking the headmistress and her deputy. In another case, a 25-year-old woman was found critically injured in her Meidling apartment following a knife attack.
Syrian teenagers also robbed and assaulted a 12-year-old in Fünfhaus, while in Brigittenau, a 16-year-old girl was injured in a knife attack near a school, prompting a major police operation.
These incidents have heightened public concern over safety in the Austrian capital.
