Years after a hostage-taking in Sudan, perpetrators and victims meet again. By random! In front of the Zurich Migration Office. The encounter ended on Tuesday in the district court of Bülach ZH. Hamed F. * (25), a rejected asylum seeker from Eritrea, was sitting on the dock. He is said to have taken a group of Eritrean refugees on their way to Europe hostage with his accomplices in 2015. F. denied any involvement in court. The prosecutor still wants to see him behind bars for 14 years.
Two of the alleged victims now live in Switzerland. They did not appear in person in court. Nevertheless, the indictment is based primarily on the testimony of the two. They were abducted with four other women after the attack on the refugee group and were held for two months.
Glowing metal, cables, snakes
"The victims were kept outside, on the hot earth, mostly tied up," the prosecutor is convinced. The women were raped, tied up and tortured. Boiling water was used, but also glowing metal, cables and even snakes.
The accused is said to have participated in the extortion and rape. He also told the prisoners' relatives on the phone directly to pay ransom.
In court with protective mask
Hamed F. appeared before the judge with a protective mask and training pants. And denied all allegations. "I swear I never kidnapped anyone," he said with the help of his interpreter. He had never seen his alleged victims before the meeting in Zurich. The judgment will be opened at a later date.
