GERMANY: Berlin 7 trial ends (1)
01 January 1991
GERMANY: Berlin 7 trial ends
artdoc March=1995
The trial of the Berlin 7 ended on 15 November (see Statewatch,
vol 4 no 5). The trial arose out a clash in a Chinese restaurant
in April 1992 when anti-fascists discovered members of the
far-right Deutsche Liga/Die Nationalen meeting. In the
confrontation the secretary of the far-right group, Gerhard
Kaindl, sustained knife wounds and later died. The seven
defendants were charged with `premeditated collective murder'.
This charge was dropped in October and the charges changed to
taking part in an affray (a serious imprisonable offence).
Three weeks before the trial ended one of the seven, Abidin
Ersalan, was cleared and released because the prosecution could
not provide evidence that he took part (he had spent 342 days in
the Moabit prison in Berlin). Three were sentenced to three years
in prison, two youths were given two years suspended sentences
and Erkan Sonmez, who is registered as mentally ill, remanded for
reports.
The trial ended quickly after the withdrawal of the murder
charge because after the withdrawal of two disputed statements
from two of the defendants. The state prosecutor did not want the
Berlin police Staatsschutz, who had taken the withdrawn
statements, to give evidence, nor to have the role of the
Verfassungsschutz (the internal security service) revealed.
The defence campaign thanked the people from over 10 countries
who had written protesting to the judge and the international
observers who attended the trial.
International Solidarity Group, Dieffenbachstrasse 33, D-10967
Berlin, Germany. Tel & fax: ++ 49 30 694 93 54.
Statewatch, Vol 4 no 6, November-December 1994