After her failed attempt to ban the “Compact,” Germany’s radical left-globalist interior minister Nancy Faeser is now turning her sights on the national-conservative Deutschland Kurier.
In a move seen as an attempt to silence criticism, Faeser has filed multiple criminal charges against the outlet, aiming to intimidate a media platform that challenges the government. David Bendels, the Courier’s editor-in-chief, has condemned the charges as a direct attack on free speech and the press. He vowed to fight back with legal action.
This new battle in Faeser’s ongoing ideological war against freedom of expression focuses on Bendels, accusing him of insulting, slandering, and defaming political figures. As a result, the Bamberg district court issued two criminal orders against him, totaling a hefty 480 daily fines. In Germany, receiving 90 daily fines is enough to earn someone a criminal record, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Faeser’s approach hinges on the controversial “Majesty Insult” law (Section 188 of the German Penal Code), which has been used in the past—most notably in the recent case involving Robert Habeck of the Green Party. Critics argue that this law is being weaponized to stifle dissent and suppress government criticism through an organized campaign of intimidation.
Back in 2021, an article by Frank W. Haubold raised alarms about the potential misuse of this law, which is now being wielded against Bendels and the Deutschland Kurier.
