Editor of Radio Dreyeckland found not guilty

Transform the given title or summary utilising your own vocabulary. Ensure to maintain names if seen. Constrain the length to be similar to the original. Avoid inserting any personal communication. Deliver solely paraphrased content without asserting "This is the paraphrased text". Reword this phrase: Transfigure the provided headline or synopsis to your own word choice. Maintain any included names. Keep the text length comparable. Refrain from introducing personal chatter. Output only the reworded sentence, not "This is the rephrased text". - Editor of Radio Dreyeckland found not guilty

A radio journalist from Freiburg's station, Radio Dreyeckland, has been found not guilty following a seven-week trial in Karlsruhe's District Court. The 38-year-old individual was accused of supporting a banned organization by linking their website in an article.

In an official statement on Thursday, the presiding judge Axel Heim stated that the ban had been incorrectly applied since the court could not prove that the association still existed. Additionally, linking to the website did not fall under the definition of "supportive action."

Defense lawyer Angela Furmaniak commended the verdict: "The court's decision centers around the importance of press freedom, demonstrating its value and significance."

The report, published on Radio Dreyeckland's website in July, contained a link to "Linksunten.Indymedia," an organization that was disbanded and banned by the Federal Interior Ministry in August 2017 after violent protests during the G20 summit in Hamburg. The accused journalist was indicted for violating the ban on associations.

Since the investigation against "Linksunten.Indymedia" was terminated, Adolf Heim stated: "A critical journalist must be permitted to question orders without being condemned for automatically supporting the banned."

The court also made the decision to reimburse the editor for the search of his home and seizure of materials. Investigators had raided two employee houses, including the now-acquitted editor's apartment, and Radio Dreyeckland's editorial premises in January 2023.

Radio Dreyeckland is a non-commercial broadcaster known for its left-liberal stance.

Although it's not final, the ruling can be appealed to the Federal Court of Justice, according to the prosecutor, who had requested a fine of 40 euros per day for 90 days - amounting to 3,600 euros.

This verdict represents a victory not just for Radio Dreyeckland but also for internet journalism and the media in general. The court highlights the importance of considering the constitution-protected freedom of the press when prosecuting journalists, as explained by David Werdermann of the civil rights organization Society for Civil Rights (GFF). GFF has been providing legal assistance to the broadcaster since the raids occurred.

Read also:

1. The editor of Radio Dreyeckland, a Freiburg-based station renowned for its left-leaning perspective, has been acquitted in criminal proceedings held at the Karlsruhe District Court.
2. The 38-year-old journalist was alleged to have breached association prohibition rules by including a Linksunten.Indymedia link in an article published in July 2023.
3. However, Judge Axel Heim declared the ban invalid, as there was no concrete proof that the banned group was still operational.
4. The verdict emphasized the significance of press freedom, as cited by defense lawyer Angela Furmaniak, who commended the decision.
5. The linked organization, disbanded and banned by Germany's Federal Ministry of the Interior in 2017 after the G20 summit in Hamburg, was under investigation for extremism-related activities.
6. The court also ordered reimbursement of the editor's expenses related to the home searches and material seizures, which occurred in January 2023, and affected both Radio Dreyeckland and the acquitted journalist's residence.
7. This acquittal serves as a triumph not only for Radio Dreyeckland but also for internet journalism and the German media in general, highlighting the need to consider constitutional press freedom during journalist prosecutions.

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