Legal battle stalls probe into far-right murder of Süleyman Taşköprü
A research group investigating the far-right NSU murder of Süleyman Taşköprü is facing legal hurdles in accessing key files. Led by criminal law scholar Charlotte Schmitt-Leonardy, the team has been blocked from reviewing crucial documents held in Hamburg. The dispute now threatens to stall their work entirely. The group, which includes experts in contemporary history, police sociology, and administrative science, was formed to examine unanswered questions around Taşköprü’s 2001 killing. Their focus includes the motive, why authorities initially dismissed a far-right link, and whether institutional racism played a role. However, their progress has ground to a halt after the Federal Prosecutor General refused their request for access to the files.
Around 500 files—totalling roughly 250,000 pages—are stored in Hamburg’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The Prosecutor General argued that these documents cannot be separated from the broader NSU case files, leaving the research team without the central police investigative records they need. Hamburg’s parliament has since backed the group’s legal push for access, but the files remain out of reach.
Schmitt-Leonardy’s team has now signalled they will pursue all available legal avenues to secure the documents. Their hope is that the Attorney General will recognise their shared aim: uncovering the full truth behind the NSU’s far-right terrorism. Until the dispute is resolved, however, their mandate stays frozen. The research group’s investigation into Taşköprü’s murder remains on hold while the legal battle continues. Without access to the files, key questions about the case cannot be addressed. The outcome of their challenge will determine whether the team can move forward with their work.
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