Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) – The workload of the judges of the two state security senates at the Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Frankfurt remains high. As can be seen from the court’s annual balance sheet published on Wednesday, the two special senates had already been hearing criminal cases against suspected left-wing or right-wing terrorists, Islamists or members of state terrorism in Syria for 65 days in 2022. The workload is about the same as last year.
Three criminal proceedings are currently still running in parallel with the state security departments – two more are pending. From August 2, a suspected supporter of the right-wing “Atomic Weapons Division” has to answer in court. He is said to have tried to set up a terrorist organization and to commit a serious act of violence that endangered the state. In addition, one of the senates has indicted a young German for membership in the so-called Islamic State (“IS”). She is said to have violated her duty of care and upbringing.
The current head of the Higher Regional Court, Ruth Römer, referred to the “great global attention” that the State Protection Senate received for its verdict against an “IS” terrorist at the end of November. The defendant, who was responsible, among other things, for the heat death of a five-year-old girl, received a life sentence for genocide and crimes against humanity. This was the first judgment worldwide based on the International Criminal Code that has been in force since 2002. In addition, the court dealt for the first time with the violent acts of “IS” against the religious group of Yazidis. According to Römer, the judgment was recognized by the United Nations Security Council as a “pioneering historical decision”.
