The purpose of a trial is to ascertain whether a suspect is guilty of a crime and to hand down an appropriate punishment. Naturally, court cases examine a suspect's character. This largely determines the sentencing.
Trials centering on politically motivated crimes often put significant emotional strain on the victims and their loved ones. Perpetrators frequently downplay their actions in court, or, worse yet, seek the limelight and boast of their gruesome crimes. Many victims say that kind of behavior is difficult to endure.
Anti-Semitic propaganda
The trial of Stephan B., who has now been found guilty of having perpetrated the deadly anti-Semitic Halle terror attack, is no exception. He is a right-wing extremist yearning for attention. After all, Stephan B. streamed his attack and the murders on social media. In court, he capitalized on the attention afforded to him to spread anti-Semitic propaganda and deny the Holocaust.
The presiding judge, however, endeavored to limit his chance to spout anti-Semitic, racist and far-right bile.
She granted ample to time to the victims of his actions, and their loved ones, to publicly talk about their pain and deep-rooted fear of further anti-Semitic crimes— and to express their outrage over how insensitive and incompetent German police have acted.
Victims are finally being heard
This approach marks a major change in Germany. The victims of right-wing violence are becoming more visible — their voices are being amplified, they are appearing as joint plaintiffs and taking to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to share their views. Many have joined forces to create a stronger, louder voice in an effort to shake up an often indifferent mainstream society.
With their sense of security undermined, victims of anti-Semitic and racist crimes often feel persistent fear. German police and the judiciary must take this fear seriously. Not doing so would be fatal. These victims need the help and protection of the German state, that is their moral right. But numerous moving testimonies by the victims and their loved ones in court make clear that, unfortunately, Germany still has a long way to go.