Scandal in prison: allegations of mistreatment shake Augsburg JVA!

Scandal in prison: allegations of mistreatment shake Augsburg JVA!

In a dramatic case of alleged violence in the Bavarian prison system, the focus is on the allegations against the deputy head of the Augsburg-Gablingen JVA. After the serious allegations of bodily harm in office, the accused official's lawyers vehemently emphasized their client's innocence and criticized politicians for their inaction. The defense lawyers are calling for urgent measures to be taken against the abuses in the prison system that have been known for years.

The Augsburg public prosecutor's office has already initiated investigations against 16 employees of the prison after possible evidence was seized during searches. Inmates are said to have been mistreated in so-called “specially secured cells,” where they are often housed naked and without mattresses. Attorney Holm Putzke and his colleagues make it clear that many prisoners are mentally ill or drug addicts and would be better off in clinics. “Politicians know this, but they don’t do anything,” said Putzke. The overload of hospitals forces correctional officers to keep these prisoners in extreme conditions.

Political reactions and deficiencies in the system

Bavaria's Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich (CSU) recently acknowledged deficiencies in the system in the state parliament and announced that he would improve control in prisons. He sees the current surveillance as inadequate and is planning changes to the accommodation in the secure cells. While the head of the Gablingen prison is not being investigated criminally, she was nevertheless released from duty because she was accused of working too little on site and too much in the home office.

The defense lawyers criticize the entire system in which their client had to work and call for comprehensive reform of the prison system. The situation remains tense as the investigation continues and politicians are under pressure to finally act.