Dessau Regional Court sentences photographers for arson

Two freelance photographers have been sentenced to prison by the Dessau Regional Court for multiple counts of arson in the Saxony-Anhalt region of Germany. The men, aged 23 and 33, intentionally set fires to empty buildings, forest areas, and agricultural land between July and September 2025 near Bitterfeld-Wolfen.

The motive for the crimes was to capture and sell exclusive footage and photographs of emergency services responding to the fires. The prosecution charged the men with 17 incidents of arson, noting that the fires were set to spread rapidly, which increased the risk of injury to first responders and complicated firefighting efforts.

The 33-year-old photographer received a prison sentence of one year and eleven months following a plea agreement. The 23-year-old was sentenced to six years and eight months for seven counts of arson. The court noted that the fires caused property damage amounting to a “significant six-figure sum.” The sentences are not yet legally binding.