Jury Statement
“A prison cell with a bunk bed is reconstructed in an airplane hangar. On it lies a human doll that repeatedly bursts into flames. In a fire in Cell No. 5 of the Dessau police station, the asylum seeker Oury Jalloh, bound by his hands and feet, died. What exactly happened on January 7, 2005?
This film is more than just a documentary; its director conducts research, looks closely, and reconstructs a process that has been ongoing for almost 20 years. Actors read witness statements and court documents in an empty room. The prosecution wants to quickly close the case. Activists, friends, and family members of Oury Jalloh doubt that the young man and father of a small child set himself on fire. What stands out are the rather factual words of the police officers, investigators, and experts. There seems to be no compassion or regret. More and more, the strict, cinematic setup evolves into a study of structural racism.
The “Independent International Commission for the Investigation of Oury Jalloh’s Death” finds the investigations and forensic examinations insufficient. With British forensic expert Iain Peck, they conduct a more detailed fire experiment, which is the centerpiece of this film, and concludes that Oury Jalloh was set on fire by a third party. The case is reopened. Oury Jalloh’s family regains hope. But their fight for justice is far from over. A film reopens a case that must not be forgotten.”