incitement to hatred against the people - Court issues order for punishment against Baptists
Due to Hate Speech, the Amtsgericht Pforzheim issued a warrant against a suspect from the "Baptist Church Zuverläßiges Wort Pforzheim" (BKZW) monitored by the Constitutional Protection. Director Oliver Weik announced this. The Public Prosecutor's Office Karlsruhe requested a fine of 120 installments of 80 Euro each. If the accused accepts this warrant, it will be considered a conviction. The "Badische Neuesten Nachrichten" reported on this first.
In another investigation, the Public Prosecutor's Office accuses another suspect of hate speech in several cases and incitement to crime. Church premises in Pforzheim and a private residence in Leipzig were searched in January of this year in connection with these investigations.
Both proceedings concern sermons that were delivered at the BKZW Pforzheim. A warrant against a second person, according to Gerichtsdirektor Weik, has not been requested yet.
Dehumanization of Homosexuals and Anti-Democratic Attitude
Since May 2023, the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution has listed the BKZW as an object of observation in the "Constitutional Protection-Relevant Delegitimization of the State" phenomenon area. The ideological focus of the BKZW, according to the Constitutional Protection Report, lies in the massive dehumanization of Homosexuals, which is openly preached in publicly accessible speeches.
"In parts of the sermons, offensive statements are made that primarily target human dignity. The often drastic speech of the preachers underscores the severity of the content."
Moreover, the BKZW fundamentally rejects democratic will-formation and decision-making. It challenges decisions made by democratically legitimized persons and delegitimizes state actions, explained the Constitutional Protection. In some sermons, antisemitic and conspiracy-theoretical elements were also found.
- The hate speech incident involving the BKZW in Pforzheim led to a punishment order from the Amtsgericht Pforzheim, consisting of 120 fines of 80 Euro each.
- The Public Prosecutor's Office in Pforzheim and Karlsruhe have been actively investigating cases of hate speech and incitement to hatred against certain groups.
- The constitution of Baden-Württemberg provides constitutional protection for freedoms, which includes the protection against incitement to hatred against the people.
- If the accused from the BKZW accepts the punishment order, it will serve as a conviction in the case of hate speech and dehumanization of Homosexuals.
- The Public Prosecutor's Office has accused another suspect of hate speech and incitement to crime in separate investigations, involving church premises in Pforzheim and a Leipzig private residence.
- Criminality persists when individuals or groups engage in activities that demean and incite hatred against certain groups, which is a violation of constitutional protection laws and moral principles.
