Germany: Nine-Year Prison Sentence for Syrian Killer of Philipp Tsaknias

On May 9, 2025, the Regional Court of Bielefeld sentenced Muafaq al-S., an 18-year-old Syrian, to nine years in prison for the murder of Philipp Tsaknias. The court accepted the prosecutor’s recommendation and convicted him as a juvenile for voluntary bodily harm, murder, robbery, and dangerous physical injury. According to the verdict, the accused continued to assault the victim even after he fell to the ground. The court also considered expert testimony that concluded alcohol consumption did not significantly impair the defendant’s ability to control his actions. The violent death of the 20-year-old Greco-German on June 23, 2024, shocked Germany and sparked intense debate in the Bundestag regarding migrant criminality. Philipp Tsaknias was returning from his sister’s graduation party when he encountered the attacker’s group in a park. Two German friends of Muafaq al-S. are charged with causing grievous bodily harm and receiving stolen goods, while investigations continue into their potential deeper involvement in the crime.