A court in Mallorca has ruled that the high-profile case brought by German actress Collien Fernandes against her ex-husband Christian Ulmen can be transferred from Spain to Germany, lawyers told dpa on Wednesday.
The case, involving two extremely well-known celebrities in Germany, made nationwide headlines earlier this year after Fernandes accused Ulmen of domestic and sexual violence, including creating fake online profiles in her name and using them to distribute pornographic material.
Ulmen has denied responsibility and is presumed innocent until proceedings are legally concluded, but the allegations sparked a wide-ranging debate on sexual violence and led to demonstrations in several German cities, including Berlin.
Fernandes filed a legal complaint against him in Palma, where the couple lived, in December.
However, the court considers the German judiciary to have jurisdiction in the case, as both Fernandes and Ulmen are German citizens, relevant documents are in German, and most of the allegations are said to have taken place in Germany.
The court has now rejected Fernandes' appeal against the case being transferred to Germany, but her Spanish lawyer, Jorge Agüero Lafora, told dpa she has lodged a further appeal to a higher court.
The case is being investigated by the public prosecutor's office in Potsdam, near Berlin, in parallel with Spanish authorities.
