If you don’t know how life-long sentences work in Germany (the Guardian clearly does not), someone jailed for ‘life’ spends at least 15 years in prison.
After that they are usually entitled to a, first, parole hearing. No parole, no release at this point.
If the crime is, as in this case, particularly grave, they don’t get the option for X years, depending on the particular ruling.
After 18 (or 15+X) years (and every 2 years thereafter), everyone jailed for life has another shot at parole, regardless of the crime they committed. If they aren’t dangerous anymore and they appear to regret their deeds, they might get released. That’s in line with a ruling by our highest constitutional court, the Bundesverfassungsgericht, that jailing someone forever without a way out goes against basic human dignity.
On average, people jailed for life spend around 18 years in prison. The current record is at 59 years.
Particularly dangerous criminals might never get released or be put into preventive custody for an indeterminate period of time.
Disturbing but Germans actually have a long history of cannibalism.
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If you don’t know how life-long sentences work in Germany (the Guardian clearly does not), someone jailed for ‘life’ spends at least 15 years in prison.
After that they are usually entitled to a, first, parole hearing. No parole, no release at this point.
If the crime is, as in this case, particularly grave, they don’t get the option for X years, depending on the particular ruling.
After 18 (or 15+X) years (and every 2 years thereafter), everyone jailed for life has another shot at parole, regardless of the crime they committed. If they aren’t dangerous anymore and they appear to regret their deeds, they might get released. That’s in line with a ruling by our highest constitutional court, the Bundesverfassungsgericht, that jailing someone forever without a way out goes against basic human dignity.
On average, people jailed for life spend around 18 years in prison. The current record is at 59 years.
Particularly dangerous criminals might never get released or be put into preventive custody for an indeterminate period of time.
Disturbing but Germans actually have a long history of cannibalism.