Searching for witnesses and legal questions on suchen.expert
Do I have to go to the police, or is a listing on suchen.expert enough?
Briefly:
A listing does not replace a required report to an authority. However, there is no general duty to report every offence that has already been committed to the police.
suchen.expert is not a public authority and does not replace a criminal report.
The platform serves solely for voluntary searches for witnesses and establishing contact.
Particularly important:
For serious incidents, such as violence, sexual offences, robbery, serious accidents or deaths, you should:
- contact the police on 110 in an immediate danger; for medical emergencies or fires, call 112, or
- where there is no immediate emergency, contact a police station or the public prosecutor and, where appropriate, report the offence.
Searching for witnesses on suchen.expert can only supplement this.
When am I required to inform the police?
Whether a statutory duty exists depends on the facts:
- In accidents, public danger or emergencies, there may be a duty to provide necessary and reasonable assistance (§ 323c StGB). This may include an emergency call.
- For an immediate danger to life or health, seek help promptly through 110 or 112.
- § 138 StGB covers certain expressly listed planned or still preventable offences of which someone receives credible information under the statutory conditions. There is no general duty to report all serious or already completed offences; § 139 StGB provides exceptions.
- Special duties may apply to people involved in an accident. Merely witnessing an already completed accident does not automatically create a reporting duty.
Important:
A listing on suchen.expert does not fulfil a statutory reporting duty.
What may I write in a witness-search listing?
Permitted content includes:
- factual, truthful observations,
- specific information about place, date and time,
- neutral descriptions, such as clothing, vehicles or the sequence of events,
- a clear distinction between observations and assumptions.
Prohibited content includes:
- accusations or prejudgments of guilt,
- insulting, defamatory or degrading statements,
- unlawful publication of personal data or images; identifying details should be omitted from a public listing unless the legal basis has been checked,
- speculation such as “The offender was definitely…”.
May I publicly identify someone as the offender?
Do not label anyone an offender in a witness-search listing without verification.
The presumption of innocence applies until a final conviction.
Public accusations may be criminal, for example as false accusations or defamatory allegations.
Use neutral wording instead, for example:
“Witnesses are sought to an incident on …”
What happens if I provide false information?
Deliberately false information may have serious legal consequences, including:
- false accusation (§ 164 StGB),
- defamatory allegations (§ 186 StGB) or deliberate defamation (§ 187 StGB).
False unsworn testimony (§ 153 StGB) requires testimony as a witness or expert before a court or another body authorised to examine witnesses or experts under oath. Perjury (§ 154 StGB) requires a false oath before a competent body. A publication on suchen.expert alone does not fulfil these offences.
Write only what you actually observed yourself.
Am I required to testify as a witness?
Witnesses must generally appear and testify when summoned by a court (§ 48 StPO) or the public prosecutor (§ 161a StPO). This also applies to a police summons based on an instruction from the public prosecutor (§ 163(3) StPO). Statutory refusal rights remain unaffected.
Exceptions include:
- specified close relatives (§ 52 StPO),
- certain persons bound by professional confidentiality (§ 53 StPO). Witnesses may also refuse answers that would expose themselves or a relative specified in § 52(1) StPO to a risk of prosecution for a criminal or administrative offence (§ 55 StPO).
suchen.expert does not replace a witness summons and cannot prevent one.
Does suchen.expert protect me as a witness?
suchen.expert does not provide official witness protection.
If you are threatened or endangered:
- contact the police or public prosecutor,
- they can examine the conditions for suitable protective measures, such as restricting personal information under § 68 StPO. § 68b StPO concerns legal counsel for witnesses. A particular protective measure or anonymity is not automatically guaranteed.
What role does suchen.expert have in criminal reports?
suchen.expert:
- is a technical intermediary,
- does not investigate offences,
- does not assess guilt or offence elements,
- hosts user content; the platform’s statutory responsibility remains unaffected.
The platform serves solely for contact and information.
Our strong recommendation
If you are unsure:
Report the incident to the police first.
Use suchen.expert additionally to find witnesses.
Legally informed conduct protects you, others affected and the platform.
