Skip to content

Court Decision on Drones Operations at Ramstein Air Base

Court Decision on Drone Operations from Ramstein Air Base

Court Decision on Drones Operations through Ramstein Air Base
Court Decision on Drones Operations through Ramstein Air Base

Court Decision on Drone Operations from Ramstein Air Base - Court Decision on Drones Operations at Ramstein Air Base

In a landmark case set to be heard on Tuesday, the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe will rule on Germany's responsibility in US drone strikes on humans abroad, specifically involving the US Air Base Ramstein in the Palatinate.

This legal battle, which has been ongoing in the German judiciary for over a decade, started in 2014 when two Yemeni nationals, relatives of a man killed in a US drone strike, filed complaints in Germany. They argue that the German state is obliged to protect the lives of non-German nationals abroad who are under threat, in this case, due to the use of Ramstein Air Base in drone deployments.

The complainants continue to perceive a "threat to their lives" due to the ongoing drone activities in the region. Since the death of their relative in August 2012, they have experienced continuous drone surveillance flights and occasional attacks.

The US military informed the Federal Ministry of Defense in 2010 that a satellite relay station for controlling drones, including armed ones, was being built on the Ramstein site. The ministry reportedly had no objections. In 2019, the Higher Administrative Court of Münster ruled that Germany must actively investigate whether US drone deployments in Yemen using the military support point in Rhineland-Palatinate violate international law.

However, concrete decisions had to be made on German soil for Germany's constitutional protection obligations to apply to foreigners abroad, according to the Federal Administrative Court. This decision was overturned in 2020, stating that it was not enough that Ramstein was technically significant for the US drone program for Germany's constitutional protection obligations to apply to foreigners abroad.

The complainants are supported by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR). Lawyer Andreas Schüller of ECCHR stated that Ramstein Air Base is a hub in the US global drone program, with all data from drones passing through it for real-time control.

Since 2014, the plaintiffs have been pursuing legal action against the US drone deployments in Germany. They find the federal government's assurances about the use of Ramstein Air Base insufficient, as they believe it is crucial for the drone deployments.

The ruling of the Second Senate of the Federal Constitutional Court on Germany's responsibility in US drone deployments via Ramstein Air Base related to the Al-Qaida drone strike in Yemen remains to be seen. As of now, there is no publicly available official decision from the Court addressing Germany's responsibility in this specific drone strike case in Yemen.

The implications of this ruling could have significant consequences for Germany's foreign policy and its relationship with the United States, as well as its obligations under international law. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

  1. The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) supports the two Yemeni nationals who argue that Germany is obliged to protect the lives of non-German nationals abroad, as the US Air Base Ramstein in the Palatinate is a hub in the US global drone program.
  2. This legal battle, ongoing since 2014, has seen the complainants pursue legal action against the US drone deployments in Germany, finding the federal government's assurances about the use of Ramstein Air Base insufficient due to its significant role in drone operations.
  3. The ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court on Germany's responsibility in US drone deployments via Ramstein Air Base could have far-reaching implications for Germany's foreign policy, relationships with the United States, and obligations under international law, as policy-and-legislation, crime-and-justice, general-news, and war-and-conflicts would potentially be affected.

Read also:

    Latest