Germany: Unknown assailant: Insufficient investigation into alleged ill-treatment by police in Germany

Index Number: EUR 23/002/2010
Date Published: 7 July 2010
Categories: Germany

When a person dies or is subjected to ill-treatment while in police custody, the state has an obligation under international human rights law to investigate thoroughly such violations of their human rights. But in Germany these investigations often fail to live up to those standards. This report analyzes 12 cases of alleged ill-treatment or excessive use of force by police officers in Germany and three cases of deaths in custody, which are illustrative of hundreds of cases.