- Legal Basis
- § 154 StGB
- Sentencing Range
- Imprisonment of not less than one year (felony)
- Summary
- Making a false statement under oath before a court or other authority authorised to administer oaths
Perjury (Section 154 German Criminal Code) – Criminal Defence Against Perjury Charges
Perjury is one of the most serious offences against the administration of justice and is classified as a felony carrying a minimum sentence of one year of imprisonment. It protects the functioning of the justice system and trust in the truth of judicial testimony. The charges are severe and require immediate and competent defence. For expats in Germany, it is essential to understand that giving false testimony under oath carries far heavier penalties than in many other jurisdictions.
Statutory Text – Section 154 StGB
Paragraph 1: Whoever swears falsely before a court or before another authority competent to administer oaths shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year.
Paragraph 2: In less serious cases, the penalty shall be imprisonment from six months to five years.
Elements of the Offence in Detail
Swearing falsely: The offender must give testimony under oath that is objectively untrue. The falsehood may relate to facts attested by the witness – both personal observations and conclusions drawn from observations.
Before a court or competent authority: The oath must be taken before a court or another authority competent to administer oaths. In practice, this primarily concerns witness testimony in civil and criminal proceedings.
Intent: The offender must act intentionally – they must know that their sworn testimony is untrue. A person who is mistaken or does not recognise the untruth does not commit perjury.
Distinction from false unsworn testimony: False unsworn testimony (Section 153 StGB) concerns unintentionally false statements or statements not made under oath. It is punished with imprisonment from three months to five years.
Typical Methods of Commission
Perjury is committed in practice through false testimony as a witness in civil proceedings – such as in divorce cases, inheritance disputes, or damages claims –, through false statements to protect relatives or friends, through deliberately untruthful declarations in sworn affidavits in enforcement proceedings, and through false statements in insolvency proceedings.
Sentencing Range
Perjury is a felony punished with imprisonment of not less than one year. In less serious cases, the penalty is imprisonment from six months to five years. The high minimum sentence demonstrates the importance the legislature attaches to protecting the duty of truthfulness. A reduction or waiver of sentence is possible if the offender corrects the false statement in time (Section 158 StGB).
Typical Defence Strategies
Defence against perjury charges is of existential importance, as the minimum sentence is already one year of imprisonment. Central defence approaches include whether the statement was actually objectively untrue, whether the accused knew the untruth of their statement or whether a mistake was present, whether formal requirements of oath administration were met, and whether a timely correction under Section 158 StGB was made. Classification as a less serious case also offers significant defence potential. Rechtsanwalt Bafteh has extensive experience in defending serious testimony offences and is committed to protecting the rights of the accused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was ist Perjury?
Der Perjury (§ 154 StGB) ist die vorsätzlich falsche Aussage unter Eid vor Gericht oder einer anderen zuständigen Stelle. Er ist ein Verbrechen mit einer Mindestfreiheitsstrafe von einem Jahr.
Worin liegt der Unterschied zur falschen uneidlichen Aussage?
Ohne Eid greift § 153 StGB (falsche uneidliche Aussage) mit einem deutlich niedrigeren Strafrahmen. Die Abgrenzung ist verteidigungsrelevant.
Gibt es eine Möglichkeit der Berichtigung?
Ja. Die rechtzeitige Berichtigung einer falschen Angabe (§ 158 StGB) kann zu einer Strafmilderung oder zum Absehen von Strafe führen.
Muss ich zur Polizei, wenn ich als Beschuldigter vorgeladen werde?
Einer rein polizeilichen Police Summons müssen Sie als Beschuldigter nicht folgen, und Sie sind nie verpflichtet, sich zur Sache zu äußern. Einer Ladung der Staatsanwaltschaft oder des Gerichts sollten Sie folgen – schweigen dürfen Sie aber auch dort.
Sollte ich vor der Akteneinsicht aussagen?
In aller Regel nein. Ohne Kenntnis der Ermittlungsakte lässt sich nicht beurteilen, welche Beweise vorliegen. Eine Einlassung sollte erst nach Akteneinsicht und in Abstimmung mit dem Verteidiger erfolgen.
Kann ein Strafverfahren eingestellt werden?
Ja. Je nach Beweislage kommen eine Einstellung mangels hinreichenden Tatverdachts (§ 170 II StPO), wegen Geringfügigkeit (§ 153 StPO) oder gegen Auflagen (§ 153a StPO) in Betracht. Nach Akteneinsicht prüfen wir die Möglichkeiten.
Summons or accusation of Perjury? What matters now
Make no statement to the police at first
As an accused person you are never obliged to comment on the allegation. Anything said to the police can be used against you. Provide statements only through your defense attorney and only after reviewing the case file.
File inspection comes first
A sound defense against the allegation of Perjury requires knowledge of the investigation file. Only once the available evidence is clear can we decide whether a statement is advisable or whether remaining silent is the better strategy.
Possible discontinuation of proceedings
Not every case ends in a main hearing. Depending on the evidence and any prior record, the proceedings may be discontinued for lack of sufficient suspicion (§ 170 II StPO), for triviality (§ 153 StPO) or subject to conditions (§ 153a StPO). Often a penalty order without a public trial can be achieved.
Victim-offender mediation and restitution
In many cases, victim-offender mediation or making good the damage (§ 46a StGB) can significantly reduce the sentence or enable a discontinuation. Whether this is advisable in your case is something we assess based on the file.
What we do after reviewing the file
We examine the evidence for reliability and admissibility, look for procedural errors, develop the defense strategy, negotiate with the public prosecutor on a discontinuation and represent you, if necessary, in the main hearing before the District Court or Regional Court of Bonn.
Available 24/7: +49 228 504 463 36
This information does not replace a review of the individual case. In criminal proceedings, the defence strategy depends substantially on the case file, the specific allegation and the evidence.
Why BAFTEH Strafverteidigung?
- Direct contact with your defense attorney – no intermediaries
- Available around the clock, including nights and weekends
- Fast file inspection and a clear defense strategy
- Focused exclusively on criminal law
- Defense in Bonn, Cologne and the entire region
Written by attorney Philip Bafteh, criminal defense lawyer in Bonn. Philip Bafteh publishes regularly on criminal and commercial law and defends accused persons in investigative and trial proceedings.
More about the attorney →Last updated: Juni 2026
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