The announcement from the Danish prosecutor has sparked strong reactions. Despite the fact that Swedish police officer Christian Zedig was beaten to death, the prosecutor believes that the suspect currently faces a sentence of only eight to ten months in prison.
Christian Zedig, 32, was at Islands Brygge in Copenhagen on June 30 to watch the World Championship match between Norway and Ivory Coast. According to reports, Zedig tried to intervene to stop a fight when he was attacked and brutally beaten by a group of African men.
Died after brutal assault
Witnesses have described how Christian Zedig was knocked to the ground. He was then allegedly kicked and stomped on the head multiple times.
Christian Zedig sustained severe injuries and died a few days later in hospital.
Suspect: A previously convicted African man
A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the fatal assault.
According to court documents, the suspect has Congolese roots and immigrated to Denmark with his family during the 1990s.
According to a ruling by the Danish High Court, the man was sentenced in 2016 to seven years in prison for attempted murder after stabbing another man in the chest outside a nightclub in Copenhagen.
The Danish newspaper B.T. reports that two years earlier, the man had been convicted of multiple rapes. According to court records, he subjected a former partner to repeated rapes, aggravated assault, and criminal threats.
Faces a prison sentence – of eight months
During this week’s detention hearing, the court ruled that the suspect should remain in custody for another four weeks. At the same time, the prosecutor stated that the current assessment is that, if convicted, the man faces a prison sentence of between eight and ten months.
The relatively short sentence is explained by the fact that the suspect is currently being investigated for assault rather than murder. The charges are based on the evidence presented so far during the investigation.
Copenhagen Police emphasize that the investigation is still ongoing and that both the charges and the potential sentence may change as the case develops.
Denies wrongdoing
The suspect turned himself in to police after being wanted. He denies any wrongdoing and has refused to be questioned, but the assault was reportedly captured on several surveillance cameras, and the evidence is therefore considered strong.
The defense has argued that the case concerns assault, while the prosecution continues its investigation.
No formal charges have yet been filed.
Christian Zedig is survived by his wife and two young daughters.