Status: December 15, 2021 5:17 p.m.
As a consequence of the Berlin murder sentence against a Russian, the German government declares two employees of the Russian embassy in Germany to be “undesirable persons”. Foreign Minister Baerbock announced this.
After the verdict in the “Tiergartenmord” trial, the German government declared two employees of the Russian embassy in Germany to be “undesirable persons”. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in Berlin that this was explained to the Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechayev during a conversation in the Foreign Office. Such a step amounts to expelling the diplomats.
The Berlin Court of Appeal had previously sentenced a 56-year-old Russian to life imprisonment for the murder of a Georgian of Chechen descent. The State Protection Chamber saw it as proven that the defendant was acting on behalf of Russian state authorities in August 2019 when he shot his victim in the middle of a Berlin park. The court thus followed the arguments of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
The person killed had been living as an asylum seeker in Germany since the end of 2016. He had been classified as a terrorist by Russian authorities. The federal prosecutor sees this as the motive for the killing. The man was seen as an enemy of the state in particular because he fought against Russia in the Chechnya war. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the man a “bandit” and a “murderer”.
Berlin court sentenced Tiergarten contract killers to life imprisonment
Andreas Jöhrens, RBB, Tagesschau 4:00 p.m., December 15, 2021
“Serious violation of German law”
The court found that the murder “was committed on behalf of government agencies in the Russian Federation,” said Baerbock. This is “a serious violation of German law and the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Germany”.
Yesterday she spoke on the phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and confirmed that she wanted an open and honest exchange with Russia. “This must take place on the basis of international law and mutual respect,” emphasized the Green politician.
It is clear that acts like the murder in the zoo weighed heavily on this exchange. “The federal government will do everything it takes to ensure security in our country and respect for our legal system.”
Russia has also announced a reaction to the verdict
The Russian ambassador Nechayev had previously announced a reaction to the murder sentence. At first, however, he did not give any details. “It is an obviously unfriendly act that does not go unrequited,” he said. “The time when the verdict will be pronounced will not be chosen by chance either. Apparently someone has an interest in the dialogue between Russia and the new federal government being overshadowed by it from the start.”
The ambassador criticized the verdict was “not objective, politically motivated and seriously burdensome for the already difficult German-Russian relationship”. He described the allegation that the Russian Federation was involved in the act as “absurd”.
Germany had already expelled two Russian embassy employees according to the first results of the Federal Prosecutor’s investigation into the case. At that time, Russia responded by expelling two German diplomats.