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Discrimination and assaults committed by police officers |
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Written by Anti-Diskriminierungsbüro Berlin e.V.
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Freitag, 22 Juni 2007 |
Many people in Germany experience defamation, kicks, punches, unwarranted false imprisonment and harassment when they have contact with the police. Especially members of social minorities – like prostitues, homeless people, left-wingers and especially refugees and immigrants – are affected by discrimination and violation commited by policemen and policewomen. At least since the “scandal of the Hamburg police” in 1994, the documentations of Amnesty International and the campaign “Aktion Courage” the public cannot deny the complex of problems within the police. Nevertheless violation by police-officers are denied by the police and other authorities in the very few cases realized by the public: Officials accuse the affected people and witnesses of lying in order to throw a bad light on the police. Moreover, officials impute that it is the victims’ own fault and that the behaviour of the police officers was adequate, because they were provoked by the victims. If it is not possible to reinterprate or deny the assault, the ministers of the interior act according to two possibilities: Either the violation is pointed out as a single incident, the offenders are played down as “black sheep” and that the reasons leading to the incident are ignored or the offenders are redefined as a victim of their working conditions – the violation is acceptable because police officers have to work in districts which provide much stress and hostility.
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Last Updated ( Donnerstag, 20 März 2008 )
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Anti-discrimination, or rather the General Act on Equal Treatment |
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Written by Anti-Diskriminierungsbüro Berlin e.V.
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Freitag, 22 Juni 2007 |
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Since the middle of August 20006 an anti-discrimination law (Antidiskriminierungsgesetz or ADG) has applied in Germany. After a delay of many years, and only after threats of contractual penalties, the legislator converted the appropriate European Commission anti-discrimination guidelines at least partially into a national right. |
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Last Updated ( Dienstag, 03 Juli 2007 )
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Custody awaiting deportation |
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Written by Anti-Diskriminierungsbüro Berlin e.V.
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Freitag, 22 Juni 2007 |
All people who would like to remain in Germany, but do not possess a German or European Passport, need a ‘Residence Permit’ (‘Aufenthaltsgenehmigung’). Those who do not possess this document are in Germany illegally, and are obliged by law to leave the country. Those who are ‘obliged to leave’ but could not or will not leave, will be compelled by the threat or use of force.
Every year, over 20,000 people are deported from German territory by the Federal Border Guard. To implement the ‘departure obligation’ the German Residence Act (2004) contain special means, which are used in Berlin especially restrictively: Custody awaiting deportation. |
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Last Updated ( Mittwoch, 27 Juni 2007 )
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Written by Anti-Diskriminierungsbüro Berlin e.V.
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Freitag, 22 Juni 2007 |
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Berlin registry offices (Standesämter) refuse to issue a birth certificate if the parents cannot submit an official proof of identity. Since refugees and asylum seekers are often forced to depart their homeland or leave their countries in a hurry, it is mostly not possible to carry with them the necessary papers. In addition, many persecutor states refuse as a matter of principle the issue of the appropriate documents. In regions affected by war state structures are frequently no longer existant or miss the necessary capacities for the appropriate official acts. Thus asylum seekers often do not have the possibility of obtaining the appropriate papers. |
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Last Updated ( Mittwoch, 27 Juni 2007 )
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Right of residence for a few, exceptional leave to remain and deportation for many |
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Written by Anti-Diskriminierungsbüro Berlin e.V.
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Freitag, 22 Juni 2007 |
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On November 17th 2006 the Conference of the Ministers of the Interior agreed on a new regulation concerning residentship based on the current Residence Act. In some aspects this is a real progress, but in many it is a big step backwards. |
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Last Updated ( Dienstag, 03 Juli 2007 )
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