The Dresden Higher Regional Court has sentenced the alleged left-wing extremist Lina E. to several years in prison. According to the court, she belonged to a group that committed attacks on members of the right-wing scene.
In the trial against the alleged left-wing extremist Lina E. and three other defendants, the Saxon Higher Regional Court in Dresden imposed prison sentences of several years. The 28-year-old was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for membership of a criminal organization.
The accused men received prison sentences of between two years and five months and three years and three months. One was convicted of membership and the other two were convicted of supporting a criminal organization.
Defense attorneys had asked for an acquittal
The accused, aged between 28 and 37, were accused of physical attacks on right-wing extremists in Wurzen, Leipzig and Eisenach in Thuringia between 2018 and 2020, with serious injuries. In addition, they are said to have founded a criminal organization. E. has been in custody since November 2020. The three other suspects are at large.
With the verdict, the court remained under the demand of the federal prosecutor, who had demanded eight years in prison for E. She had accused the student from Leipzig of “massive violence”. Lina E. and her friend Johann G. who went into hiding are therefore considered ringleaders. The defense attorneys for the student from Hesse had demanded acquittal on almost all counts. The federal prosecutor’s office had requested between two years and nine months and three years and nine months’ imprisonment for the three men accused.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution has indications that left-wing extremists are going underground
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution currently sees a high level of radicalization among some left-wing extremists and lowering inhibitions when it comes to the use of violence. “It is also worrying that an increasing number of violent left-wing extremists are trying to avoid prosecution and may have gone into hiding,” said the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang.
The head of the domestic intelligence service added: “We do not see the threshold to terrorism being crossed yet, but if the radicalization spiral continues and the acts become ever more brutal and unrestrained, then the moment is approaching when one also has to speak of left-wing terrorism.”
The defense considers the trial to be politically motivated and conducted in the wrong place. The mere fact that the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office took over the investigation led to higher criminal charges, they argued in their pleadings. They saw their clients exposed to prejudice and accused federal prosecutors of using different standards when convicting right-wing and left-wing criminals. The court was accused of being biased.
Key witness had incriminated the accused
The process, which is subject to high security precautions, began in September 2021. A key witness had incriminated the accused. According to the indictment, 13 people were injured, two of them potentially life-threatening. Another allegation was that the accused had rejected the democratic constitutional state as well as the state monopoly on the use of force. Except for personal information, the accused remained silent on the allegations. Only Lina E. took the chance at the “last word” and thanked her parents, relatives, all supporters and defenders.
Faeser sees the growing danger left-wing extremism
The verdict was followed in the courtroom by around 100 supporters of the defendants. They had greeted Lina E. and the three co-defendants with long applause. After the verdict, the trial was briefly adjourned due to unrest. Several dozen supporters, mainly from Leipzig, demonstrated in front of the court and expressed solidarity with Lina E.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser warned of an increasing danger from left-wing extremists with a view to the verdict. “In left-wing extremist groups, the inhibitions to attack political opponents with the utmost brutality have fallen,” said the SPD politician. “In a democratic constitutional state, there must be no room for vigilantism,” it said in a statement. No goal justifies political violence.
Faeser warned that the spiral of radicalization and violence must not continue. “Our security authorities are keeping a very close eye on the violent left-wing extremist scene and will continue to act consistently,” it said. The authorities would also continue to focus on the left-wing extremist scene in the coming days and weeks.