Berlin: Wife died after "exorcising the devil"

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Berlin district court: judgment because of an "expulsion of the devil"

Photo: Sonja Wurtscheid / dpa

They used a "salt water cure to drive out the devil" on a 22-year-old - with fatal consequences: three family members and an alleged healer were convicted at the Berlin district court.

The court sentenced the victim's husband to three years and eight months' imprisonment.

The 36-year-old and his co-defendants were found guilty of bodily harm resulting in death.

The 57-year-old mother is said to have been imprisoned for two years and eight months, while the 59-year-old father received a two-year suspended sentence.

The accusation of "exorcising the devil" has unfortunately been confirmed, said the presiding judge.

Because of childlessness, the 22-year-old Muslim woman was given salt water for a week.

In the case of the 50-year-old alleged healer, the court ruled on negligent homicide and imposed a suspended sentence of one year and six months.

In addition, he was ordered to pay 1500 euros.

Water with table salt every day

The three family members from Lebanon decided in November 2015 to subject the 22-year-old to religious treatment for childlessness.

On the advice of the accused "healer" she was given one and a half liters of water fortified with table salt every day for a week.

According to the court, the young woman was already considerably weakened after the first day.

Her husband and parents-in-law realized that she was getting worse every day.

"But they didn't stop," said the verdict.

The initial consent of the 22-year-olds to take part in the salt water cure no longer existed on the second day.

By the end of the eight-month trial, the defendants had made confessions.

The prosecutor had requested sentences of up to five years in prison.

The defense lawyers pleaded for suspended sentences or acquittal for the "healer".

The defendants - the three men have German citizenship, that of the 57-year-old woman has not been clarified according to her statements - were not in custody and initially remain free.

The judgment is not yet final and can be appealed against.

ptz / dpa