Because of insulting Scholz: 70-year-old has to pay 1,650 euros

The Hanover district court has sentenced a man and a woman to fines for insulting political figures. According to the court on Friday, a 70-year-old should pay 1,650 euros, among other things, because he called Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) a “corrupt scumbag” on a social network and called for him to be driven “through the city with clubs.” . The court saw this as a public invitation to commit crimes.

In a separate case, the district court sentenced a 28-year-old woman to pay a fine of 600 euros. According to him, the woman had, among other things, published a short video in which Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) was described as a “terrorist” in writing.

The 70-year-old also insulted Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), the 28-year-old also insulted several foreign politicians such as US President Joe Biden and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. According to the court, the verdicts were handed down in November and December. They are not legally binding because appeals have been lodged.

There has been a debate in Germany for some time about a brutalization of the political climate and increasing attacks on politicians and officials. As part of the prosecution of insult crimes, politicians are additionally protected by a separate paragraph if the attacks occur in public and relate to their political activities.

Prosecution only takes place with the consent of the institution concerned, such as a parliament or a ministry. According to the district court, the Federal Chancellery decided not to file a criminal complaint in the case of the man from Langenhagen, but did not object to the prosecution. Baerbock therefore filed a criminal complaint against the woman from Hanover.