Cologne Prosecutor: Most of the Accused in New Year's Eve Incidents are Refugees

The prosecutor of Cologne stated on Monday, February 15, that most of the identified suspects related to the thefts and sexual assaults during the New Year's Eve celebrations in the city are refugees. An Iranian is also among the accused. The crimes, which German officials have described as widespread, have sparked significant reactions in the country and raised the debate about whether Germany can integrate the 1.1 million refugees who entered the country in 2015. According to the Associated Press, Ulrich Bremer, the prosecutor of Cologne, stated that 73 suspects have been identified so far, most of whom are from North Africa. Reports indicate that approximately 1,075 complaints have been registered to date, including 467 complaints related to sexual harassment, ranging from insults to rape. Bremer told the Associated Press, 'A significant majority of the accused fall within the general framework of refugees.' He stated that recent reports claiming that only three of the accused were refugees are 'completely unfounded.' In the days following the incident, city officials in Cologne were accused of covering up the fact that the attackers were predominantly refugees due to political sensitivities. Bremer mentioned that the suspects include 30 Moroccans, 27 Algerians, four Iraqis, three Germans, three Syrians, three Tunisians, and one person each from Libya, Iran, and Montenegro. He noted that 'they have different legal statuses, including illegal entry, seeking asylum, and asylum applicants. The majority of the accused face such situations.' According to the Cologne prosecutor, 12 of the 73 accused have cases related to sexual crimes, although only one of them—a refugee applicant who entered Germany in November—is currently in custody. Since the New Year's Eve crimes, pressure has mounted on Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, due to her 'open-door' policies regarding refugees. In this context, right-wing groups have intensified their attacks and criticisms of Merkel. The Chancellor is also facing criticism from her allies and partners.