Agitation against politicians - Every fourth hate crime trial ends in a conviction
Approximately every fourth investigative proceedings against hate and incitement against Bavarian politicians resulted in a conviction, stated Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich (CSU) in the Interior Committee of the Bavarian Landtag. Since the introduction of the special online reporting procedure in September 2020, 203 applications have been submitted to the Hate Speech Commissioner. In 167 cases, an investigative proceeding was initiated. From these, 44 convictions to fines and probation orders have emerged by June 15, 2024, of which 39 are legally binding.
The numbers showed that the procedure was well-received, emphasized Eisenreich. By the given deadline on June 15, 2024, 190 Bavarian public office holders and mandate bearers had received access to the online procedure. The simple and quick reporting via online access is an essential building block of the protection concept for municipal politicians and politicians. The offer has now also been extended to members of the Bavarian Landtag and German Bundestag, as well as to Bavarian representatives in the European Parliament.
Eisenreich warns against the coarsening of society
In general, a coarsening of society can be observed, which particularly leads to many insults against politicians on the internet. "Attacks on politicians and politicians are also attacks on democracy. Whoever wants to protect our democracy must consequently combat politically motivated hate crimes and assaults," said Eisenreich.
In the past year in Bavaria, 1,354 cases have become known to the police where political office holders or mandate bearers, as well as representatives or members of parties, were victims of insults. In 708 cases, the internet was the scene of the crime. "Crimes in the virtual world can have consequences in the real world just as quickly," emphasized Eisenreich. Therefore, politically motivated hate crimes, whether online or offline, must be fought against.
- Despite the high number of investigative proceedings against politicians for hate speech in Bavaria, Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich (CSU) from Munich noted that around a quarter of these cases resulted in convictions.
- During the discussion in the Interior Committee of the Bavarian Landtag, Eisenreich highlighted the significance of the Internet in facilitating hate speech, adding that socially harmful crimes originating from the virtual world can have real-world consequences.
- In light of the increasing instances of politically motivated hate crimes online, the CSU politician urged for a collective effort to combat these crimes, emphasizing their detrimental impact on democracy.
- In an effort to streamline the reporting of hate speech against politicians, the special online reporting procedure was introduced in Bavaria in September 2020, and it has been extended to include members of the Bavarian Landtag and German Bundestag, as well as Bavarian representatives in the European Parliament.
- Georg Eisenreich, a key figure in the CSU, continues to advocate for justice and emphasizes the need for societal vigilance against hate and incitement, advocating for a safer and more inclusive digital space for all politicians and citizens.
