In legal proceedings in Germany, certain categories of persons are entitled to request access to the case files (Akteneinsicht). This right flows from the fundamental right to informational self-determination. The files are kept with the court overseeing the proceedings and can, on request, be viewed, copied or transcribed. The right to access files can be limited by considerations around the protection of the data of others or for strategic reasons relating to the functioning of the investigation.
Arms exports
In February 2019, the Regional Court in Stuttgart (Germany) convicted employees of the arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch in a case concerning the shipment of rifles to Mexico. The court investigated whether, between 2006 and 2009, Heckler & Koch illegally sold Type G36 rifles to the Mexican police.
