According to a judge at the Burgenland regional court, there is no chance of partial or suspended sentences for suspects who smuggled three or more migrants into Austria.
At the Eisenstadt Regional Court, the traffickers hand over the handles to the courtrooms. Eleven people were released from custody on Tuesday alone. Prison sentences rained down, two of them against a Moldovan (20) and his accomplice who was two years older. You would think they are still half boys.
25 The person on board
But on July 13, the innocent duo smuggled 25 Turkish citizens from Hungary across the border in northern Burgenland into Austria. Crammed into a Ford Transit. The journey took about four hours. There was no water. The car was eventually withdrawn from circulation in Vienna; the trip would probably have been to France. “Each of us was promised 2,000 euros,” the 20-year-old told the jury. ‘We needed the money! We have nothing.”
Bumps for the driver
How uncomfortable the transport must have been for the passengers is evident from the fact that a Turk gave the second defendant two blows in the face after disembarking. “He drove like crazy. We shouted inside for him to stop. I thought we would not survive this,” said witness Hakan E., against whom the criminal case was dismissed for personal injury.
Tears after the verdict
The 20-year-old cried bitterly after the verdict was announced. Even his mother, who had followed the trial as a listener, could not hold back her tears: 18 months for the ‘young adult’, 21 months for the barely older partner he had recruited. Four months’ imprisonment will be deducted.
“Eisenstadt is very strict against human smugglers,” says chairman Gabriele Nemeskeri. “As a rule, we only have unconditional sentences here if three or more people have been smuggled.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
