Authorities in Göttingen have arrested a 31-year-old man following the death of a 16-year-old girl at Friedland train station. The suspect, an Iraqi national, is accused of pushing the girl onto a freight train. Lower Saxony’s Interior Minister Daniela Berens has called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
The Göttingen prosecutor’s office reported on Friday that the suspect is formally charged with involuntary manslaughter. He is currently held in a psychiatric facility due to concerns about his mental state and the risk of flight. DNA evidence reportedly links the suspect to the victim’s right shoulder. Senior prosecutor Andreas Buik told NDR Lower Saxony that the marks suggest more than a light touch, adding, “He would have had to press harder to leave such traces.” Authorities say there is no prior connection between the suspect and the victim, and he remains silent during the investigation.
Political Questions Emerge
The case has sparked political debate in Lower Saxony. Opposition parties in the state parliament are demanding answers from Minister Berens (SPD), questioning why the suspect, who had been denied asylum, was not deported before the crime. According to CDU faction leader Karina Herman, the Iraqi man could have been deported as early as March 2025. “I expect the Interior Minister to inform us proactively, without us having to ask,” Herman said in an interview with NDR.
Authorities Under Scrutiny
The state Interior Ministry announced that parliamentarians will be briefed in the Internal Affairs Committee on Thursday. CDU lawmakers want clarification on which authorities were involved and why the suspect was able to evade deportation. The AfD has raised similar questions. Minister Berens previously emphasized her commitment to resolving the matter and providing transparency to the victim’s family.
The central issue involves the suspect’s failure to be detained for deportation and his entry into Germany via Lithuania, a case linked to the so-called “Dublin procedure.”
Court Decisions and Bureaucratic Hurdles
In July, the state refugee authority requested that the Hanover District Court detain the man for deportation. The court rejected the request, citing insufficient evidence of a flight risk. The suspect had not been given a deadline to leave Germany. Legal obstacles for detention pending deportation are high, leaving the court with limited options. The refugee authority could have amended the request or appealed the decision, but neither action was taken, and the suspect was released.
A ministry spokesperson clarified that the Lower Saxony refugee office had thoroughly justified the detention request and later amended it after the court’s review. However, “this did not lead to a reassessment by the court,” the spokesperson said. Additional information will be provided to the parliamentary committee on Thursday.
Court Clarifies Position
The Hanover District Court later explained that while the refugee authority had reiterated its justification over two and a half pages, “this was insufficient at critical moments,” according to court representative Patrick Scheris. No appeal was filed.
The suspect is now in custody following his arrest last Friday. The Lower Saxony Refugee Council has declined to comment, with Executive Director Kai Weber saying he is not familiar with the case details. Weber criticized the Dublin procedure in principle and stressed that the discussion should not focus solely on detention, calling instead for better psychological support for refugees.
