11/07/2026
TWO YEARS AFTER THE ASSASSINATION OF WILLIAM CHEDJOU
11 July 2026: Two Years After the Assassination of William Chedjou A Duty of Remembrance, a Review of the Judicial Outcome, and a Renewed Call for Full Justice
Report by the William Chedjou Collective
On 11 July 2024, William Chedjou, a Cameroonian national, devoted husband and father, lost his life in Berlin following a violent altercation near a parking space.
From the very beginning, his family, relatives, and numerous civil society organizations maintained that the circumstances surrounding his death could not be separated from the broader context of racism and discrimination that people of African descent continue to face across Europe.
In response, the William Chedjou Collective was established to support his family in their pursuit of truth, justice, and recognition.
Judicial Proceedings
The trial was held before the BerlinTiergarten District Court Amtsgericht Tiergarten.
Following several weeks of hearings, the Court delivered its judgment on 17 February 2025.
Throughout the proceedings, William Chedjou’s family attended every hearing with dignity and resilience, supported by numerous citizens, civil society organizations, and anti-racism advocates.
The Court’s Decision
At the conclusion of the trial, the Court:
found the defendant guilty of manslaughter (Totschlag.
sentenced him to six years’ imprisonment;
declined to classify the offence as murder (Mord) under German criminal law;
declined to recognize a racial motive, despite arguments presented by the victim’s family and several supporting organizations.
According to the Court, the fatal incident primarily resulted from a dispute over a parking space that escalated into deadly violence.
The Issue of Racial Motivation
One of the central issues during the trial was whether the attack should legally be recognized as racially motivated.
Throughout the proceedings, evidence and testimony presented before the Court raised serious concerns among the victim’s family and independent observers.
Relatives of William Chedjou, together with numerous supporters, argued that statements allegedly made by the defendant reflected racial stereotypes directed at Black people and should have been considered when assessing the motive behind the killing.
However, the Court concluded that, under the evidentiary standards required by German criminal law, the available evidence was insufficient to establish beyond the applicable legal threshold that William Chedjou’s race or ethnic origin constituted the determining motive for the attack.
Consequently, no aggravating circumstance based on racial hatred was recognized in the final judgment.
A Deep Sense of Injustice
For William Chedjou’s family and for our Collective, the judgment leaves a profound sense of injustice.
Our concerns are based on three principal observations.
First, a sentence of six years’ imprisonment appears disproportionately lenient considering the irreversible consequences of the crime. A human life was taken, a family was devastated, and several children were permanently deprived of their father.
Second, the refusal to acknowledge the racial dimension of the crime has inflicted additional pain upon William’s relatives, who firmly believe that the circumstances cannot be fully understood without considering the racial prejudice that continues to affect people of African descent.
Finally, this decision raises broader questions regarding the legal standards used by European courts when determining whether violent crimes are motivated by racial hatred.
Following the announcement of the judgment, numerous citizens gathered outside the courthouse to express solidarity with William Chedjou’s family and disappointment with the Court’s decision.
Since William’s death, demonstrations, public gatherings, awareness campaigns, and memorial initiatives have continued to keep his memory alive while emphasizing that combating racism remains a fundamental democratic responsibility.
Beyond William Chedjou’s individual case, this matter raises significant concerns regarding the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights.
In particular, it highlights important questions concerning:
the ability of European judicial systems to identify and legally recognize racially motivated crimes;
the evidentiary standards required to establish discriminatory intent;
the effective protection of minority communities against hate-based violence;
public confidence in judicial institutions when discrimination is perceived as insufficiently acknowledged.
These issues extend well beyond Germany and concern all democratic societies committed to equality, justice, and human rights.
Our mission remains clear: to preserve William Chedjou’s memory, support his family, and continue advocating against racism in all its forms.
We call upon national governments, organizations and civil society to strengthen efforts aimed at:
preventing hate-motivated violence;
improving the identification and legal recognition of discriminatory motives in criminal proceedings;
providing stronger protection and support for victims and their families.
The judgment delivered on 17 February 2025 resulted in the perpetrator being sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for manslaughter, while neither recognizing the offence as murder nor acknowledging the alleged racial motive advanced by the victim’s family and supporting organizations.
For the William Chedjou Collective, the conclusion of the criminal proceedings does not mark the end of our pursuit of truth, justice, and dignity.
On this second anniversary of William Chedjou’s assassination, we honour his memory and stand alongside all those who refuse to allow his story to be forgotten.
Every life matters. Every victim deserves full justice. William Chedjou should still be alive today.
Geraud P.
For the William Chedjou Collective
