Anti-discrimination officer against blanket nationality of suspects
The Independent Federal Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Ferda Ataman, has opposed calls for the routine disclosure of the nationality of suspects in criminal cases. "This can lead to distorted images" and reinforce racist stereotypes of "criminal foreigners," Ataman warned in the "New Osnabruecker Zeitung". Routine disclosure of nationality, she argued, only creates a false sense of transparency.
Ataman explained her position by stating that merely mentioning the nationality of a suspect suggests a link between the two, even when no such link exists. "Nationality should only be mentioned if it is relevant to the investigation and understanding of the crime," she suggested instead.
Ataman's stance is in opposition to demands from the Union and FDP. FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai had called for authorities to routinely disclose the nationality of suspects in future statements about crimes. The disclosure, he said, would "serve transparency and credibility." The parliamentary business manager of the Union faction, Thorsten Frei, echoed this sentiment. Criticism of these proposals came from the SPD and Greens.
The following stance opposes calls made by the Union and FDP for routine disclosure of suspects' nationalities. Mentioning a suspect's nationality merely for transparency, as suggested by FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai, can contribute to racist stereotypes, as warned by Ferda Ataman.
