A man of Turkish origin was sentenced today in Braunau to two years’ unconditional imprisonment for aggravated coercion. The Austrian citizen threatened to kill his wife if she refused to wear a headscarf.
The 37-year-old man, who is already serving a five-year prison sentence for aggravated assault, is alleged to have made dangerous threats against his wife during their daily telephone conversations.
“If you don’t wear a headscarf from now on, I will break all your bones, kill you and cut your head off your body. I don’t care if I get 20 years for it,” the accused said. Instead of apologising, however, the man indirectly blamed his wife, dismissing the threat as a harmless quarrel. “I scolded her, she scolded me. I am ashamed that I am here as an accused because of my wife. It was a normal marital quarrel.” As to why she should wear a headscarf, he explained, “I told my wife to wear the headscarf until I am out of prison. People have heard so many things, so I told her that.”
That he was alluding to the protection Muslim women wearing headscarves have from harassment by Muslim men, as they are recognisable as believers, was confirmed by his wife a little later during questioning. The motive was jealousy: “My husband is not religious, for him the headscarf means that no one looks at me and that I am honourable,” the petite witness testified, adding: “I now have a new mobile phone number because I am afraid. She said she did not feel safe despite the fact that her husband was in “I know him, he has had me threatened and followed by his friends. He has said he will get an ankle bracelet and then he will teach me,” she said.
Judge Stefan Kiesl sentenced the defendant to two years’ unconditional imprisonment. “Rarely has a decision been so easy for me. I believe every word your wife says and have not the slightest doubt that her statements are one hundred percent true,” said the judge. Commenting on the defendant’s behaviour, Kiesl said, “It doesn’t get more reprehensible than this. After getting five years imprisonment for an incredibly aggressive act, you try to manipulate people while you are in prison. The two years’ imprisonment must also be seen as a general preventive measure. The clear message must go out that in our society such attitudes are not tolerable.”
The Turk had already been convicted of a knife attack in 2019. Because of debts, he stabbed a man with a 20cm folding knife in a betting shop in Braunau. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison at the time.
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