Germany expels 2 Russian diplomats after court finds Moscow 'authored' murder in Berlin

Germany expelled two Russian diplomats on Wednesday, December 14, after a Berlin court ruled that Russia was behind the killing of a Chechen man in Berlin. The court found a Russian citizen - identified as Vadim Krasikov - guilty of the murder of Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili, a Georgian citizen of Chechen ethnicity in Berlin in 2019 and sentenced him to life imprisonment, AP reported. Additionally, the judges noted that Krasikov had acted on the orders of Russian authorities. 

The presiding judge, Olaf Arnoldi, alleged that Russian authorities were the “author” of the killing. Olaf Arnoldi said, “The central government of the Russian Federation was the author of this crime” and termed it “state terrorism”, AP reported. The judges claimed that the Russian authorities had given him a false identity, fake passport and provided him with the resources to kill Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili near Berlin’s Kleiner Tiergarten park on 23 August 2019. 

Killing 'a grave breach of German law': German Minister Annalena Baerbock

Defence lawyers had requested the court to acquit their client, who they claimed was a victim of mistaken identity. However, the judge stated that he was responsible for the slaying which means that he was not entitled to the automatic parole after 15 years that is customary in Germany. Meanwhile, the two diplomats which have been expelled by the German authorities have been linked to Russian intelligence agencies, AP reported citing sources. 

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had labelled the killing a “grave breach of German law and the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Germany.” German authorities summoned Russia’s ambassador in Berlin to discuss the court’s finding and inform the decision of Germany to expel the diplomats.

In her call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Baerbock said that Germany seeks an “open and honest exchange with Russia,” and added that it should happen according to international law and mutual respect, AP reported. She pointed out that such acts have affected the relationship between the two countries and the German government will take every action to ensure security and laws in the country. 

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP)