Trial against Christina Block: Israeli witness describes retrieval operation of the children

Block rejects the allegations

The entrepreneur Christina Block disputes the allegations. As previously communicated, she has her defense team declare that she rejects the accusations. "Die 53-Jährige bestreitet das," it was said. At the beginning of the hearing day, her defense attorney stated that his client was psychologically severely burdened: "Meine Mandantin ist sehr angeschlagen heute."

Background: Custody dispute since 2021

The background is a bitter custody dispute. "Der Rückholaktion vorausgegangen war ein erbitterter Sorgerechtsstreit," the hearing reported. Block's ex-husband Stephan Hensel had not returned the two youngest children to Hamburg after a weekend visit in August 2021, but had kept them in Denmark. The children have been living with their father ever since.

The public prosecutor's office accuses Block of having hired an Israeli security firm to take the children from their father's custody in Denmark on New Year's Eve 2023/24. "Der zehnjährige Junge und das 13-jährige Mädchen waren in der Silvesternacht 2023/24 in ein Auto gezerrt worden." The children were reportedly pulled into a vehicle and subsequently brought back to Germany.

Daughter now 15 years old

It also became known in the proceedings that the now 15-year-old daughter had contact with an aunt in Hamburg over the weekend, according to the defense. "Sie habe am Wochenende erfahren, dass ihre inzwischen 15-jährige Tochter in Hamburg sei und mit einer Tante Kontakt hatte," the lawyer said. The girl is now older than she was at the time of the alleged kidnapping.

The proceedings are taking place before the Hamburg Regional Court and have now occupied the court for 56 days of trial. The testimony of the Israeli witness is considered central because, as the alleged head of the security firm, he was able to describe the planning and execution of the retrieval operation from his own observation.

Proceedings before the Hamburg Regional Court

Christina Block is 53 years old and an entrepreneur. The case has attracted attention beyond Hamburg because it raises the question of how far a parent may go in enforcing their custody rights and what means are legally permissible in a private dispute over children.

The taking of evidence at the Hamburg Regional Court will be continued. Further witnesses and experts are to be heard in the coming trial days. A verdict has not yet been reached.