Introduction

31. August 2010. One year ago, on 4 September 2009, two American jets attacked a crowd and two fuel tankers on the riverbank of the Kunduz River in Afghanistan following an order from German Colonel Georg Klein.

Reparation Issues

31. August 2010. The Ministry of Defense meanwhile recognized 102 victims as result of the air strike of 4 September 2009, among them 91 persons killed. Without challenging this number, it can be stated that this represents a high number of affected persons, regardless of whether they are surviving members of families or injured victims.

Investigations and Prosecution

31. August 2010. The criminal investigations conducted so far have been insufficient. First, the initially competent Public Prosecutor in Potsdam referred the file to the Prosecutor in Dresden, because the suspected person, Colonel Klein, was stationed in this court district.

Lawyers for Kunduz Victims demand Compensation and Resumption of Investigation Proceedings

Lawyers representing the victims and their relatives of the 4 September 2009 air attack near Kunduz (Afghanistan) - Karim Popal, Bernhard Docke, Dr. Reiner Geulen, Dr. Remo Klinger and Wolfgang Kaleck, General Secretary of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) - announced their next concrete legal steps at a press conference on 10 June 2010.

Kunduz Donation Account

ECCHR is participating in compensation proceedings for the victims of the air attack on Kunduz. In order to prepare charges, and potentially to put them into effect, numerous costs must be settled. At present, these are not being financed. Please help us by reading about the action and donating money to Kunduz donation account and would like to ask for your financial support. (Please be assured that your donations will not be used for attorney fees).

Fundamental Breaches of Procedure in Colonel Klein Case

On 19 April 2010 the Office of the Federal Prosecutor announced in the Federal Court that it would dismiss investigations into the case of German Armed Forces Colonel, Colonel Klein, and Master Sergeant Wilhelm. ECCHR General Secretary Wolfgang Kaleck is representing the families of the Afghan victims, together with Bremen-based attorneys Bernhard Docke und Karim Popal.

Chronology of Events

31. August 2010. On 4 September 2009, two F-15 jets attacked a group of people gathering around two tankers on a riverbank of the Kunduz River. The attack was ordered by German Colonel Georg Klein.

Documents and Links