German Justice Department has announced that three scientists from the prestigious Max Planck Institute are being prosecuted for  cruelty as part of experiments on animal brains, AFP reported.

The three from Tubingen Laboratory of Biological Cybernetics are accused of ending their experiments too late, and that the animals have suffered for a long time. The three scientists risk being fined, the judicial authorities said.

According to German justice, cruelty to animals can be punished by up to three years in prison depending on the seriousness of the crime. In this case, experiments with monkeys were approved by the authorities but provided they were discontinued if there were any suffering. Contrary to established rules, scientists have ended the animals lives too late and thus affected their well-being for a long time.