The Amtsgericht Tiergarten in Berlin has sentenced a 24-year-old ex-student of the Free University of Berlin to three years in prison for assault. This is an unusually harsh sentence for Berlin, surpassing even the request made by the public prosecutor’s office. The case gained nationwide attention when the accused student, during the emotional debates surrounding the Israeli government’s actions against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, struck Jewish student Lahav Shapira in the face with a fist and allegedly kicked him. The accused admitted to the crime during the trial, denying any antisemitic motives. He offered to pay compensation to the victim and expressed his apologies. On the first day of the trial, the Antisemitism Commissioner of the German government, Felix Klein, was present in the courtroom.
In Germany, most cases of assault usually result in a fine for first-time offenders, with suspended prison sentences in more severe cases. In cases where unintended death occurs, courts often impose suspended sentences. However, on Thursday, the presiding judge, Sahin Sezer, emphasized the importance of general prevention in his reasoning for the sentence, which is usually only considered under specific circumstances: “We must deter other people from committing such crimes.”
The public prosecutor’s office requested a sentence of two years and four months in prison for the accused. The defense attorney requested a suspended prison sentence of one year and nine months. Suspended sentences are only applicable in Germany for prison sentences of two years or less.
Both Klein and Shapira welcomed the harsh sentence, considering it a “good and just verdict” and stating that antisemitism in Germany will not go unpunished. The verdict is still not final.