Verdict expected against relatives for death threat
The trial against two men for threatening to murder a girl from the family is to continue today (10.00 a.m.) at the regional court in Augsburg. The defendants, the victim's father and brother, were each sentenced to three years and eight months in prison at the district court for dangerous bodily harm, threats and other offenses.
At the beginning of the appeal hearing, the parties agreed that the new trial would only be about the sentence. Accordingly, the defendants can now expect slightly lighter sentences. It is possible that the verdict will be announced on Thursday.
The 45 and 24-year-old men are alleged to have tortured and injured the girl for years from the age of around twelve. The background to this was the religion of the two Yazidis, who expected the child to be submissive. The daughter later had a relationship with a Muslim of Turkish origin, which was also not accepted by her family. Yazidis only tolerate partnerships within the group. Finally, the murder of the child is said to have been planned.
The girl even had to write a farewell letter so that the planned act of violence could be disguised as suicide. In the end, the daughter was able to flee to the youth welfare office. The now 17-year-old was classified as severely endangered and was hidden from her family by the authorities in a secret location.
The accused have been in custody for some time. The two were born in Iraq. The father is an Iraqi citizen. His co-defendant eldest son also has German citizenship.
The defense may argue during the appeal hearing that the processes related to the sentencing should take into account the defendants' background in relation to their religious beliefs and the societal pressures they faced. Despite the planned crime involving their daughter's relationship with a Muslim, the ongoing trial highlights the importance of upholding laws against threats and dangerous bodily harm, regardless of cultural or religious contexts.
Source: www.dpa.com
