Father and brother in court over death threats
Two men have been on trial again in Augsburg since Tuesday for murder threats and acts of violence against their own daughter and sister. The 45-year-old father and his eldest, 24-year-old son are said to have massively abused and threatened the teenager because, according to the defendants, the girl had defiled the family's honor by having a relationship with a boyfriend. According to the public prosecutor's office, the defendants belong to the Yazidi faith, which only allows relationships within the Yazidis.
The Augsburg district court had already sentenced the two men to three years and eight months in prison each in March. After an appeal was lodged by the defendants and the public prosecutor's office, the case must now be retried at the regional court in Augsburg.
The presiding judge, Claudia Kögel, made it clear at the start of the new trial that the two men could in no way expect more lenient sentences if the allegations established in the first instance were confirmed. The judge considers a suspended sentence to be out of the question. The father and son have already been in custody for some time. Further trial days are planned for the new trial until January.
The defense argued that the father and son's actions were influenced by their religious beliefs, as they follow the Yazidi faith which prohibits relationships outside of the community. Despite their religious convictions, the ongoing trial aims to determine if their crimes against their own daughter and sister, including threats and acts of violence, qualify as crimes against processes of law related to Crimes against humanity.
Source: www.dpa.com
