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Alaa Sheikhi, a Syrian asylum seeker, was sentenced to 9 ½ years in prison for murder in a meeting and serious injury. AFP Photos / POOL / Matthias Rietschel

In Germany, the various incidents in which former refugees are mixed up give rise to violent emotions recovered by the German far right. This scenario reached its climax a year ago in Chemnitz. The verdict fell this Thursday, August 22: one of the defendants is sentenced to 9 years and half of prison.

With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibaut

Almost a year ago, on August 26, a 35-year-old German was stabbed to death in downtown Chemnitz. Quickly, asylum seekers are suspected. Extreme right demonstrations are organized and lead to skirmishes whose images circumnavigate the world.

Thin evidence

Alaa Sheikhi, a 24-year-old Syrian asylum seeker, was sentenced to 9 ½ years in prison for murder in a meeting and serious injury. The Dresden court judge ruled that his responsibility for the murder of Daniel Hillig was proven even though the evidence against the Syrian was thin. No trace of his DNA was found on either the knife or the victim. The main witness, a Lebanese employee of a kebab snack, has multiplied contradictory versions.

The defense of Alaa Sheikhi had asked for the acquittal of his client and accused the prosecution of wanting at all costs to have a culprit for the city of Chemnitz find a certain serenity. Hearings were scheduled initially until October.

►Also read: Germany: Saxony, epicenter of the extreme right

Saturday, August 24, a demonstration of extreme right is planned on the spot, a year after the facts. On September 1, regional elections are held in Saxony and the Alternative Party for Germany (AfD) is expected to win a quarter of the vote.