German Federal Prosecutors Demand Life Imprisonment in Berlin ‘Tiergarten’ Assassination Trial

In the Tiergarten murder trial held at the Berlin court, prosecutors detailed how the accused—a former Russian FSB officer—executed the assassination of Tornike Kavtarashvili, aka Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, with a targeted close-range gunshot to the back of the head. The killing was politically motivated retaliation by Russian state authorities against Khangoshvili who had fought against Russia in the North Caucasus and was branded a terrorist by Moscow. Prosecutors emphasized that Khangoshvili no longer posed a threat after his 2016 asylum in Germany and that the murder violated German sovereignty and the state's monopoly on legitimate violence. Witness testimony showed the trauma the event caused local citizens. Investigations relied heavily on international and journalistic cooperation due to non-cooperation from Russia and Turkey. The verdict was anticipated shortly after closing statements, posing political challenges for Germany’s new government.