Published 15 November 2024 at 09:54
Foreign. A pensioner in Germany’s Bavaria had his home searched by the police after sharing a joke picture on X (formerly Twitter) in which the country’s environmentalist economy minister Robert Habeck was called a “Schwachkopf” (stupid skull).
According to the Bamberg prosecutor’s office, the man is accused of insulting politicians, which is a crime in Germany.
The image is considered to have been spread (retweeted) with the aim of damaging Robert Habeck’s reputation and making the politician’s work in the government more difficult.
During the house search, the pensioner’s mobile phones were seized and all rooms were searched.
The police justify the action by saying that Habeck is a public figure and that there is therefore a “public interest” in investigating the crime.
“GDR taste in the mouth”
The pensioner, Stefan Niehoff, himself laughs in disbelief when he comments on the matter nests
– I am 64 years old. I never imagined we would reach this point. You definitely get a GDR taste in your mouth.
It is not the first time that Bavarian authorities have taken measures against statements critical of the government. A similar case concerned a businessman who put up satirical posters criticizing ministers. Despite police efforts, the entrepreneur was later acquitted by a court, which judged that the posters protected freedom of expression.
Source: www.friatider.se
