In Reutlingen, ex-judge Werner Heinrich was fined in district court for posting insulting lyrics about economics minister Robert Habeck on Facebook. The post referred to Habeck as an idiot and compared him to “dog poop,” telling him to “fuck off.” Heinrich claimed that since the Greens have been in government, everything has gone downhill and that Habeck is incompetent. He defended his post as free expression of opinion and criticized the Greens for restricting this right. However, the public prosecutor argued that the post crossed the line into malicious contempt and made the minister’s public work more difficult.
The court agreed with the prosecutor and fined Heinrich 7,800 euros for insults directed at a person in political life. Additionally, another post equating foreigners with “scum” was also considered in the judgment, although Heinrich denied writing it. He plans to appeal the decision. The court emphasized that in the battle of political opinions, there are limits to what can be expressed and that insults and foul language have no place in public discourse. Overall, this case highlights the importance of respectful communication in political discussions and serves as a reminder that freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly and with consideration for its impact on others’ lives.
