A brother and sister from Germany who have four children together are challenging the country's incest laws, arguing their right to a family life has been violated. Patrick Syuebing and Susan Karolewski, who were separated for over two decades before reuniting, began their relationship after their mother's death in 2000.
Patrick, now in his forties, was removed from the family home at age three following a knife attack by their father. He reconnected with Susan, who has mental disabilities, six months before their mother died. The pair started sharing a bedroom and their relationship became physical, leading to the birth of four children, two of whom have disabilities.
The couple first challenged Germany's incest laws in 2001 and later took their case to the European Court of Human Rights in 2012. Patrick served two prison sentences for incest-related offences but has since undergone sterilisation to avoid further imprisonment. He said: 'There is no reason for them to jail me now. I do not want to go back to jail.'
Susan defended their relationship, stating: 'We didn't know each other in childhood, it's not the same for us. We fell in love as adults and our love is real.' Their lawyer argued that the ban on incest, which dates back to Nazi-era legislation, disproportionately affects people with disabilities. The couple continue to fight for the right to live together without legal consequences.
