War criminals in Germany: A safe haven for criminals?

War criminals in Germany: A safe haven for criminals?

The question of whether the country is a safe haven for war criminals is currently being discussed in Germany. In the new podcast series “Amnesty Germany”, which will be broadcast on WDR 5 from July 12, 2025, host Azadê Peşmen highlights the stories of those affected, relatives and experts and confronts listeners with the reality that some criminals live in the country without being held accountable. This podcast series consists of five insightful episodes that examine various cases of war criminals in this country. According to WDR, not only prominent cases are presented, but also the challenges that the judiciary faces.

The first episode revolves around Colonel Anwar Raslan, whose identity is recognized by a refugee in Berlin. The trial in Koblenz is a prime example of the complex issues of justice regarding victims. The second episode highlights Luis Kyburg, a former military commander from Argentina who lives unmolested in Berlin and is wanted for crimes against humanity.

The meaning of genocide

But why is the topic of genocide so important? The term, coined by the Polish-Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin in 1944, has both legal and political dimensions. The Bundestag recently recognized the Holodomor, in which up to seven million Ukrainians starved to death in the 1930s, as “murder by hunger” and genocide. Such recognitions help imprint the precise circumstances of these tragedies in the collective memory. Deutschlandfunk points out that the legal definition of genocide includes the targeted killing of members of a protected group, as well as other serious acts.

The 1948 UN Genocide Convention, upon which the Genocide Convention is based, defines specific acts that constitute genocide and describes the obligations of the parties to the treaty to prevent and punish such crimes. Genocide is considered a crime against international law, which requires all states to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.

Hidden shelters for criminals

The third episode of “Amnesty Germany”, however, deals with the case of an IS terrorist who was convicted in Germany for the death of a five-year-old girl. The shocking verdict is the first legally binding verdict on the genocide against the Yazidis. The fourth episode focuses on Talât Pasha, a central figure in the Armenian Genocide, who was shot by an Armenian in Berlin in 1921. However, the German judiciary acquitted the perpetrator at the time and the question arises to what extent Germany was involved in this historic genocide.

The final episode looks at the Sivas attack, in which Islamist extremists set fire to the Hotel Madımak in Sivas in 1993 while an Alevi festival was taking place. Here, too, some of the perpetrators still live unpunished in Germany today. These stories illustrate how Germany looks at the horrific chapters of its past and what challenges come with the legal process.

Overall, the podcast series not only offers an insight into the life stories of criminals, but also into the ongoing debates about justice, responsibility and coming to terms with atrocities - topics that are more relevant than ever.