A father who refused to accept his transgender daughter’s gender identity and tried to “re-educate” her through brutal violence must serve three years and three months in prison. The Oldenburg Regional Court convicted the 48-year-old Syrian man of aggravated abuse of a protected person combined with dangerous bodily harm, deprivation of liberty, and threats. The verdict is final and will be carried out.
The man had beaten the transgender teenager in February 2024, locked her up, insulted her, and humiliated her because he could not accept her decision to live as a girl. In the chamber’s view, he struck and kicked his daughter, forcibly cut her hair with a trimmer, and took away her clothes.
“You’re to blame yourself, should I kill you, or what?”
Already in August 2024, the father had been sentenced by the district court’s Juvenile Protection Chamber to two and a half years in prison. Both the defense and the prosecution had filed appeals. The Federal Court of Justice subsequently referred the case back, noting that not only a conviction for mistreatment of dependents could be at issue. In the renewed proceedings, the Oldenburg court increased the penalty.
The girl described a childhood marked by violence at the hands of her father in the earlier proceedings. According to her account, during the assault he threatened: “You’re to blame yourself, should I kill you, or what?” Police arrived at the apartment after a call from her sister. When no one opened the door but shouts for help could be heard, officers forced entry. In the child’s room they found the victim undressed, with blood and mucus on her face, and highly distressed.
Father Wants Deportation Back to Syria
The renewed proceedings spared the transgender girl another testimony. Experts diagnosed a complex post-traumatic stress disorder and see a risk of long-term developmental impairment.
The father showed no remorse during the proceedings. He voiced a wish to be deported back to his homeland. (cw)
