German Journalist Given Seven Month Sentence for Meme Mocking Government’s ‘Hatred’ of Free Speech

Germany has been accused of violating basic Western values yet again, as a news editor in Germany faces a hefty fine and a seven month prison sentence for posting a meme mocking the government’s “hatred” of free speech.

The Bamberg district court in Bavaria sentenced Deutschland-Kurier editor David Bendels this week to seven months in prison on probation and a fine of nearly sixty per cent of his annual income, or 210 ‘daily rates’, for posting an image on social media of Interior Minister Nancy Faeser holding an altered sign.

The common meme tactic of changing the words on signs held by politicians for satirical purposes was used to make Faeser’s sign read: “I hate freedom of speech”.

Bendels was initially convicted in November, and the ruling was confirmed on Monday, finding that he had committed “defamation directed against people in political life,” Die Welt reported on Tuesday.

According to Bendels, it is the first time in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany that a journalist has been threatened with prison for breaching the statute.

The Kurier editor also claimed that the prosecution was prompted after Interior Minister Faeser personally filed a complaint against him.

Bendels said on Monday that he plans to appeal the ruling, saying: “We will not accept this verdict and will defend ourselves against it using all legal means.

“The Deutschland-Kurier and I personally will continue the just struggle for freedom of the press and freedom of expression, which is indispensable for the continued existence of democracy in Germany, resolutely, stably and with all consistency.”

The ruling has also been criticised by opposition political figures, with the influential regional leader of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Thuringia, Björn Höcke saying: “German politicians, responsible for the deindustrialization of our country and tearing its citizens apart from each other made Germany a laughingstock of the world.

“They armor themselves and attack freedom of speech again and again, ending our constitutional democracy. We have been warned by Donald Trump and Elon Musk: The enemies of freedom are found within the EU-governments!”

In Germany, fines are levied as ‘rates’, each rate the equivalent of one day’s self-reported income for the convict. 210 rates, therefore, would mean a fine payment of well over half of Bendels’ annual income.

In comparison, analysis from the Fines and Fees Justice Center (FFJC) found that in 2018, 49 per cent of fines levied in Germany were between 31 and 90 rates, meaning the fine against Bendels for posting a meme was far above average.

In December, he explained to the European Conservative that people in Germany with prison sentences of over 90 days are generally considered to have a criminal record, and therefore, his sentence would effectively represent a “muzzle” against him as a journalist.

“If we don’t stop this disastrous development, the journey one day will end in a left-green dictatorship of wokeness. Instead of swastika flags, rainbow flags will fly on all public buildings and places in Germany,” he said.

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