German judges criticize insensitivity towards Turkish media in NSU trial

German judges have criticized a Munich court for not allocating seats for the Turkish media to follow the trial of the murder of eight Turks killed by the National Socialist Underground (NSU). A former deputy head of Germany's Federal Constitutional Court, Winfried Hassemer, said the judges of the Munich court were acting in a political not pragmatic manner. Klaus Volk, an expert on criminal law, criticized the court for being insensitive. "It would be better if the court followed another practice in a trial which is followed by an international community," said Hassemer. Turkey as well as German politicians, media and the country's Turkish community accuse the Munich court of gross insensitivity in failing to guarantee Turkish reporters access to a trial of suspected neo-Nazis accused of a racist killing spree. With local media rushing to secure seats at what will be one of Germany's most-watched trials in decades, no Turkish newspapers were allocated guaranteed places -- a situation that one German government minister said was unacceptable and a potential national embarrassment. Gernot Lehr, an expert on media law, stated that there should be a quota for Turkish reporters, adding that media representatives from Germany, Turkey as well as other countries should have seats. With the trial for the murder of eight Turks and a Greek due to start on April 17, the court allocated 50 guaranteed seats to media on a first come, first served basis. Turkish reporters are not among the 50 reporters that are accredited to follow the trial. Volk stated that the principle of first come, first served was unfair.