Trial for alleged prisoner abuse in Augsburg prison begins on January 7th

The trial into alleged prisoner abuse in the Augsburg prison is scheduled to start on January 7th in the regional court. Initially, 51 days of trial were scheduled, said a court spokesman upon request. The “Augsburger Allgemeine” first reported about it.

Last week, the responsible 1st Criminal Chamber admitted the public prosecutor's two charges to the main hearing without any changes. 13 judicial officers are accused, including the former head of the correctional facility (JVA) in the Augsburg suburb of Gablingen and her deputy. The eleven other suspects are former members of the JVA's security group - a kind of special unit at the prison that is supposed to intervene in cases of violence or is used to deal with particularly dangerous inmates.

Mega process with organizational challenges

There are a total of 170 cases, and more than 100 prisoners are said to have become victims. The officers are accused of deprivation of liberty, coercion and intentional or dangerous bodily harm while in office. All defendants are presumed innocent until they are legally convicted.

Given the size of the proceedings and the number of defendants, the court has a lot to manage organizationally. The space required for 13 defendants and their lawyers alone is likely to be considerable. In addition to judges and public prosecutors, a number of co-plaintiffs could also take part in the process. The court spokesman said the court would take the necessary organizational measures.

Investigators speak of a “system of arbitrariness” behind walls

The deputy head of the prison is considered a central figure in the judicial scandal. After her transfer to Gablingen, she is said to have “established a system of arbitrariness,” as the public prosecutor put it. Prisoners are said to have been harassed and sometimes physically abused. The prison director is said to have been partially informed about this and to have supported the procedure. The deputy's lawyers had already rejected the allegations during the preliminary investigation.