The Syrian migrant convicted for his involvement in the death of 20-year-old Philipos as he accompanied his sister to a graduation ball in the German town of Bad Oeynhausen last year, is demanding €25,000 in damages from police union vice-chairman and author Manuel Ostermann, accusing him of unlawful statements in his recent book entitled “Germany Is No Longer Safe.”
Philipos was badly beaten in June 2024, so much so that he fell into a coma and died two days later in the hospital. The 18-year-old suspect, Mwafak al-S., was arrested and ultimately convicted of attempted manslaughter. He was sentenced to nine years in juvenile detention.
Remix News reported on the attack at the time.
His lawyer, Burkhard Benecken, is now contesting statements made in Ostermann’s book related to the attack, noting that the sentence is not yet legally binding because of an ongoing appeal to the Federal Court of Justice.
Benecken argues that Ostermann misrepresented the legal status of the case by writing that the migrant “beat Philipos Tsanis to death,” even though the sentencing court ultimately convicted al-S. of attempted manslaughter due to unresolved questions over which of two skull fractures caused the fatal injury.
Benecken also challenges references to alleged prior violent offenses and what he describes as unsubstantiated implications that the attack may have been religiously motivated. In court, evidence pointed instead to a dispute over drugs shortly before the violence broke out.
Ostermann, who is First Deputy Federal Chairman of the German Federal Police Union, rejects the accusations and calls the legal threat an attempt to score publicity. He maintains that his book reflects broader concerns about violent crime and argues that the Syrian offender had already been known to police for previous offenses. While this is true — the migrant teen had been convicted of grand theft and grand robbery and had been sentenced to community service — Ostermann said he had also committed aggravated assault and attempted rape, offenses for which he had not been convicted of in a court of law.
Ostermann also notes that Philipos’ mother has publicly expressed support for him.
The regional court in Essen will now determine whether Ostermann’s statements crossed the line between political commentary and legally actionable claims, and whether the author must pay damages and issue corrections.
The police union chief and author spoke to Welt about the proceedings, calling them “absurd” and “ridiculous.” “To me, it simply reeks of an attempt to gain media attention and possibly a bit of money. I can’t explain it any other way,” he told the outlet.
Benecken, however, accused the author of committing an “incomprehensible blunder” and suggested he had a responsibility to report the facts as a police officer who “should stand for the rule of law, such as the presumption of innocence and fair reporting.”
The trial is due to commence on Friday.
