Outrage over acquittals: cozy justice in Vienna?

Outrage over acquittals: cozy justice in Vienna?

An 18-year-old Afghan man is now on trial in a scandalous case of sexual abuse that is testing the Austrian justice system. The accused, who was only 16 years old at the time of the crime, is accused of having sexual intercourse with a then 13-year-old student in the fall of 2023. What is particularly explosive is that he is said to have filmed the act and threatened the girl to publish the video. This indictment by the Vienna Regional Court will be heard on March 24th and is the third in a case that has already resulted in several acquittals for other defendants, such as crown reported.

Against this backdrop, the acquittal of a 17-year-old Syrian man accused of raping a 12-year-old girl in a parking garage continues to spark public outrage. The judge in the case has already made several judgments in the past that were perceived as lenient, which reinforces the impression of a so-called “cozy justice”. The judge's controversial excuses, according to which it often happens that girls first say "no" and then agree, have sparked heated discussions on social media the status determines.

Controversies surrounding judicial decisions

What is particularly shocking is the knowledge that the judge in question, Martina Hahn, has been entrusted with similar cases several times in the past, which ended with lenient sentences, which led to the justice of many citizens being questioned. The case, which is now leading to a new trial, has already resulted in investigations into over a dozen other young people who may be involved in this terrible event. Society is concerned about the handling of sexual crimes and the role of the judiciary in such sensitive matters.