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Germany: Army officer charged with abuse

01 August 2004

On 7 October, the Neustadt am Rübenberge regional administrative court sentenced a 42-year old army officer from the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) to six months on probation for physical abuse and degrading treatment. The indictment had listed 51 cases in which Andreas B. twisted soldiers arms, beat them, tied them to tables and verbally threatened them. These incidents took place between 2001 and 2003 on the Wunstorf airbase in Lower Saxony. Last year, the army transferred the case to the public prosecutor in Hanover and the accused was suspended from duty. The sergeant admitted the charges, which meant that only two witnesses had to be heard. The sentence reflects a common attitude in court towards law enforcement and army officers accused of abuse: the average sentence is less than 12 months, which allows the perpetrators to remain in office, (anyone in public office is automatically sacked when receiving a sentence of 12 months or above). Although Michael Giers, head of the respective regional court, claims that this incident is unprecedented, the German Campaign against Conscription, Forced Service and the Military (Kampagne gegen Wehrpflicht, Zwangsdienste & Militär) provides a comprehensive list of cases of "abuse and torture" committed by German soldiers and officers in Germany but also by those stationed in the Kosovo against civilians.

(see http://www.kampagne.de/Themen/BW_Monitoring/Doku_Folter.php
Süddeutsche Zeitung 20.8.04, Die Welt 24.8.04