Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / EUROPE
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Friday, 3 March 2006, 09:53 GMT

Cannibal film banned in Germany

Armin Meiwes A German court has banned the screening of a film based on the case of self-confessed cannibal Armin Meiwes.

The state court in Kassel upheld a complaint from Meiwes, 44, against the film Rohtenburg, which was due for release in Germany on 9 March.

The court ruled that Meiwes' rights as an individual outweighed artistic freedom and that he should not become the object of a horror film.

Meiwes, jailed for eight-and-a-half years in 2004, is facing a retrial.

He admitted that in March 2001 he killed a 43-year-old man and partially ate him. He was jailed for manslaughter.

Meiwes says he simply carried out a willing victim's instructions.

But last year, an appeal court ordered a retrial after state prosecutors argued Meiwes was guilty of murder.

If found guilty, Meiwes could face a life sentence.

Meiwes, a computer technician, killed and ate Bernd Juergen Brandes after posting an advert on the internet asking for a willing victim in 2001.

The film Rohtenburg, directed by Martin Weisz, stars Thomas Kretschmann in the leading role.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Cannibal fights new legal battles (11 Jan 06 |  Europe )
Berlin man 'inspired by cannibal' (03 May 05 |  Europe )
German cannibal to face retrial (22 Apr 05 |  Europe )
Cannibal case to be German movie (07 Jul 04 |  Europe )
Appeal over cannibal verdict (02 Feb 04 |  Europe )
Manslaughter verdict for cannibal (30 Jan 04 |  Europe )
Profile: Cannibal Armin Meiwes (30 Jan 04 |  Europe )
Murky world of net cannibalism (30 Jan 04 |  Europe )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
German justice ministry
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©