Austrian court rejects Iraqis’ appeal against rape sentences

BERLIN – An Austrian court has rejected appeals by eight Iraqi citizens against their prison sentences for gang-raping a German tourist on New Year’s Eve in 2015.

The men were convicted in March 2017 and sentenced to between nine and 13 years. The Austria Press Agency reported that the Vienna state court ruled Thursday there was no reason to reduce the sentences.

Rape is punishable by a maximum 15-year prison term in Austria. Presiding Judge Natalia Frohner said “such an abhorrent crime” requires sentences in the “upper regions.”

The original trial heard testimony that four men took the woman, who had been drinking heavily, to a Vienna apartment where they were joined by the others and all took turns raping her.

The men came to Austria as migrants in 2015.