German police did not properly investigate far-right crimes, report finds

German police deliberately neglected or did not properly investigate hundreds of crimes by right-wing extremists, an official inquiry has found.

Berlin's State Protection Office, responsible for investigating politically motivated crimes, shelved over 350 cases in the last three years, public broadcaster RBB reported on Monday.

Berlin Police President Barbara Slowik has confirmed that an internal inquiry was ongoing to determine why responsible police officers neglected the investigations of these far-right crimes.

At least 364 cases were not processed properly, and files were not handed over to public prosecutors, according to the initial findings of the inquiry.

German daily Tagesspiegel reports that the authorities are now investigating Alexander H., the head of the office responsible for investigating far-right crimes, and a case officer, on suspicion of "obstruction of justice".

Unresolved murder

Before his appointment to this office, Alexander was responsible for the investigation of the murder of Turkish teenager Burak Bektas, according to the daily.

Bektas was shot to death in 2012 in the Neukolln district while chatting with his friends on a street. Two of his friends were also seriously injured during the attack.

German police had claimed that no traces of evidence leading to the perpetrator could be found.

His family and friends have repeatedly called for a deeper investigation into the murder, stressing that witness testimonies indicate that he was killed by a right-wing extremist.

Left Party lawmaker Niklas Schrader says the recent scandal has raised new questions about the unresolved murder of Bektas.

"There is a growing suspicion that the chief inspector who is responsible for not properly processing the files, also failed to take the necessary investigative steps in the Bektas case," he said, referring to Alexander H.

Rights groups have long criticised German authorities for underestimating the far-right threat and tolerating crimes and violent acts committed by right-wing extremists.

At least 219 people have been killed in Germany by neo-Nazi violence since 1989, according to the human rights organisation Amadeu Antonio Foundation.