Court hearing on the closure of the Haasenburg homes
Around ten years after the closure of the Haasenburg GmbH youth homes, the operator's lawsuit against the withdrawal of the operating license will be heard. The 8th Chamber of the Cottbus Administrative Court has scheduled an oral hearing for next Thursday (10.45 am), as the court announced. The lawsuit is directed against the Brandenburg Youth Ministry, which had ordered the withdrawal of the operating license in December 2013. It remains to be seen whether the chamber will announce a verdict on Thursday, said court spokesman Matthias Vogt.
After self-harm and suicides occurred in the homes from 2005 onwards, the state youth welfare office initially imposed conditions, the court stated. In the summer of 2013, allegations then arose that residents in the homes were being harassed and humiliated by educators. This led to the closure of the three Haasenburg homes in Unterspreewald, Schwielochsee and Müncheberg, which housed young people from all over Germany who were considered difficult to educate, at the end of 2013. This was preceded by political debates on accommodation practices in such homes.
The operator initially fought against the closure in summary proceedings. This action was dismissed by the Cottbus Administrative Court in January 2015. According to court spokesperson Matthias Vogt, the court essentially relied on the investigation report by an independent expert commission appointed by the ministry. An appeal by the operator to the Higher Administrative Court was also unsuccessful.
The administrative court is now hearing the main proceedings regarding the closure of the Haasenburg homes. At the time, there were also dozens of complaints against home educators due to allegations of mistreatment. However, almost all proceedings were dropped by the public prosecutor's office due to a lack of sufficient suspicion.
In the end, there were two trials for physical violence. One ended with an acquittal, the other was dropped in exchange for a monetary payment. Two court cases also involved sexual abuse. One of the trials against an ex-carer was discontinued in exchange for a fine. In the other case, a former educator received a suspended sentence of one and a half years.
The operator argues that the closure of the Haasenburg homes infringes on their right to education, given the lack of alternatives for difficult-to-educate youth. The calls for social justice in addressing the mistreatment experienced by residents in these homes have echoed within the family circles of many affected individuals.
Source: www.dpa.com
