Angelika M. (name altered) suffered the worst possible fate. In the meadow of a block of flats in the Sillhöfe an Afghan asylum seeker attacked her like a beast, raped her several times, covered her mouth with all his might and gave her blows and bites. Only when her friend, to whom she wanted to go, noticed the crime and shouted out of the window did the man let go of her. The ordeal lasted for an hour, Angelika M. suffered severe bleeding in her abdomen. In 2016, the asylum seeker was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment and 5,000 euros in damages.
“A few weeks ago, my flat doorbell rang. I was told that my tormentor would be released from prison the next day – although the seven years had not yet passed – and that he would stay in Austria, i.e. not be deported,” the Tyrolean describes in an interview with the “Krone”, “that is negligent. I simply feel abandoned by the state of Austria. It is truly a matter of sheer insanity how much injustice I am confronted with as an Austrian who has always worked dutifully. My life is being deliberately destroyed”.
Angelika M. had expected that the Afghan would be released from prison sooner. “But the fact that he is actually allowed to stay in Austria after this crime is terrible for me. I can’t understand that, after all he is a convicted dangerous criminal. I am still afraid of him. Immediately after the crime, he made death threats against me and my girlfriend. He is considered a potential danger not only to me but to society. Who guarantees that nothing will happen to me? Who will take care of my protection? I am afraid for my life,” she says.
The Tyrolean, who has several children and grandchildren, has been struggling back to life step by step since the ordeal six years ago. “I had anxiety attacks and sleeping disorders, was looked after by a clinic psychologist for a year, got in touch with various support associations and took self-defence courses. Among other things, I learned how best to behave in dangerous situations. I finally managed to process or repress the rape. I also dared to go back to work. But the early release of my tormentor pulls the rug out from under me again. I have panic attacks, I’m back in psychological treatment, everything starts all over again,” she laments.
Actually, as she says she would have to go abroad right away to be safe: “But unfortunately I don’t have the financial means for that. And let’s be honest: It’s really very sad that this is the only option.”
The Tyrolean rape victim is represented by lawyer Markus Abwerzger. He too just shakes his head regarding the new developments. “The Afghan asylum seeker who committed the crime and was convicted of it has served two thirds of his prison sentence and has now been conditionally released. The fact that he is still in Austria and has not yet been deported is absolutely incomprehensible and should definitely be questioned,” he emphasises.
The judiciary had actually had five whole years to obtain a residence ban against the convicted criminal. “And in my opinion, they should have made sure that the asylum seeker was transferred directly from criminal custody to detention pending deportation and then deported. Because with such a serious offence he will never receive a positive decision anyway. That is a very clear case.”
But the aim of deporting the convicted offender does not seem to be on the agenda of the judiciary – at least for the time being. According to information in the newspaper “Tiroler Krone”, the man is said to have been given a job, which he is also doing.