Screenshot photo shows the Iraqi suspect (Photo/Screenshot)
Police in Bochum, Germany confirmed that a man suspected of attacking and sexually assaulting a female Chinese student was arrested on Monday, according to a statement the Chinese consulate in Düsseldorf released on Tuesday.
The suspect is an Iraqi man who has been living in the Bochum Hostel near Ruhr-University Bochum with his wife and two children, according to Chief Prosecutor Andreas Bachmann. He arrived in Germany with his family in December 2015, German broadcaster Deutsch Welle reported on Wednesday.
The Chinese student was raped while on her way home on November 16. She described the suspect as being a man in his 30s of Middle-Eastern appearance with black hair and a heavy beard, people.cn reported on Wednesday.
The Chinese consulate in Düsseldorf has urged the German authorities to investigate and protect the legal interests of Chinese citizens living in Germany.
The arrested man is reportedly suspected of involvement in another sexual assault case in August near the campus of Ruhr-University Bochum.
The Chinese Embassy in Germany will continue to follow the case, chinanews.com reported on Tuesday.
This is not the first time that Chinese students have been victims of violence or sexual abuse while studying in Germany.
Li Yangjie, a 25-year-old Chinese student living in Dessau, eastern Germany, was raped and killed by a young German couple in May, which sparked public concern over the safety of Chinese students.
Since the two defendants were under 21 when the rape took place, the court could view the case as either a juvenile or adult criminal offence, which respectively boast maximum sentences of 15 years in prison or life imprisonment, said court spokesperson Frank Straube, AFP reported.
