Germany: North Rhine-Westphalia Minister of Justice warns of stigmatization of Arab criminal clans

The new NRW Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach (Greens) strikes a different note on the subject of clan crime than NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU).

Düsseldorf - "We have to be careful with the term clan crime," he told the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ). You shouldn't "stigmatize" anyone with it. There were also people in these family groups "who behave in accordance with the law and whom we are not allowed to lump with the others," says Limbach.

"There is a risk that by stigmatizing all members of an extended family, I will actually reinforce family loyalty. I therefore prefer the term organized crime. That includes family groups, but also gangsters, for example."

While Reul relies on an uncompromising "zero tolerance course" when it comes to clan crime, Limbach refers to legal principles: "I stand for an independent judiciary whose symbolic figure is blindfolded. Before Justitia, neither race nor religion, gender, income, sexual orientation or identity, age, skin color or disability should count." Therefore, a justice minister should always be wary of using terms that have the potential to stigmatize.

A certain origin should not automatically lead to suspicion. However, Limbach emphasized to the WAZ that he would work "closely and trustingly" with Reul.

Source: Der Newsticker

Photo: Getty.