- Antonio Rüdiger fails to file a complaint for incitement
It's about a middle-finger gesture online: German national football player Antonio Rüdiger wanted to defend himself against criticism from journalist Julian Reichelt by filing a complaint, but failed. The Berlin public prosecutor's office told the news agency DPA that an investigation against Reichelt had been discontinued due to lack of evidence. In the spring, it became known that the football star wanted to defend himself against internet posts by the journalist, who was previously the editor-in-chief of "Bild" and has been working in a responsible position for the portal "Nius" for some time. The investigation was about allegations of insult and incitement of the people.
Antonio Rüdiger at prayer
At its core, the case revolves around a much-discussed Instagram post by the Real Madrid professional around the fasting month of Ramadan. In the post, the practicing Muslim Rüdiger shared a photo of himself in a white gown on a prayer mat, with his right middle finger pointing towards the sky. "May the Almighty accept our fasting and prayers," the 31-year-old wrote as a greeting for Ramadan.
Reichelt was convinced that Rüdiger was showing an Islamist gesture with the raised middle finger. The defender countered that he did not want to be defamed as an Islamist. Reichelt's criticism, which he posted in several contributions on the internet, led to Rüdiger filing a criminal complaint against him, and the German Football Association (DFB) also reported the matter to the Central Office for Combating Internet Crime (ZIT) of the General Public Prosecutor's Office in Frankfurt/Main.
Julian Reichelt's posts "value judgments"
The Berlin public prosecutor's office stated that there was no criminal offense of insult or malicious gossip or slander. "The posts do not make any factual statements, but rather express mere value judgments, as can be seen from the overall context." Even when weighed against the freedom of expression, there was no sufficient evidence of a crime. The public prosecutor's office also does not consider the charge of incitement of the people to be fulfilled.
The sign is a typical gesture among Muslims and part of the prayer. The extended middle finger symbolizes belief in the one and only God ("Tauhid"). The sign is the visible expression of the Islamic creed, in which it is testified that there are no other gods besides the one God ("Allah") (monotheism).
Antonio Rüdiger and the "Tauhid" finger
The Federal Ministry of the Interior stated around the debate about the finger gesture in the spring: "The so-called 'tauhid' finger is considered a symbol of the unity and uniqueness of God in Islam. The gesture is widespread among Muslims around the world."
In the ministry's estimation, the so-called "tauhid" finger is to be understood as a declaration of faith and is therefore to be considered unproblematic in terms of public security. "This applies regardless of the fact that Islamist groups use this symbol and misuse it for their purposes."
In this regard, the showing of the so-called "tauhid" finger in certain contexts can be seen as a sign of Salafist or Islamist radicalization if actors consciously use this ambiguity. Here, it comes down to a consideration of the individual case.
The European Union, acting as a global advocate for human rights and religious freedom, expressed its concern over the alleged misinterpretation of the 'tauhid' finger gesture by Julian Reichelt, highlighting the importance of respecting religious symbols and traditions within the European value system.
Antonio Rüdiger, in response to criticism from international organizations and grassroots movements, emphasized that the 'tauhid' finger gesture is a symbol of his faith and should not be misconstrued to represent anything contrary to his beliefs, seeking the support of the European Union in promoting understanding and unity among different religions and cultures.
