GdP for rapid deportation - lawyers criticize populism
Is hate speech sufficient reason for expulsion? The Police Union (GdP) welcomes the corresponding cabinet decision. The German Lawyers' Association (DAV), however, sees things differently. "The law is populist," it is stated. "It does not take into account the complexity of human life."
The Police Union (GdP) opposes the plans of the German government for easier expulsion of foreigners who publicly endorse terror. "This is about hate propaganda, about propaganda crimes. That is not free speech, but a criminal offense," said the deputy GdP federal chairman Sven Hüber on ZDF. "Who here calls for hate and incitement and terrorist crimes, he is not among us in this country."
According to a cabinet decision on Wednesday, foreigners should be expelled more quickly if they publicly endorse terror.
GdP Vice Chairman Hüber said that during the examination of hate comments on the net, "above all, the Federal Criminal Police Office and also the state criminal offices" are required. However, to fulfill this task, a better technical equipment and significantly more personnel are necessary. "That is inevitable, otherwise the whole thing will become a paper tiger," said Hüber.
Criticism comes from the German Lawyers' Association (DAV) regarding the cabinet-approved draft law. The chairman of the working group Migration Law of the Association, Thomas Oberhäuser, told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland: "The law is populist. The supposed solution does not take into account the complexity of human life. Not everyone who likes something, must agree with the entire content. Social media are predestined for expressing things too quickly. That is not all reflected."
Regarding such perhaps occasional statements that could define a person's entire life, that goes too far.
"Imagine a man with a family living in the Gaza Strip and unable to leave," added Oberhäuser. "That he does not let go of the destruction there and weighs his reaction is clear. It is, in addition, a constitutional requirement that the legislator also acts proportionately in the face of unpleasant behavior by individuals. Not everything that is intended as a signal to the population should become law."
According to the cabinet decision, the threshold for expulsion should be significantly lower. A single hate comment on the internet could in the future be sufficient for expulsion - a criminal conviction is not required for this, explained the Federal Interior Ministry. The ministry justifies its reaction with hate postings on the net after the attack by Hamas on Israel or the fatal knife attack on a policeman in Mannheim.
- The Police Union (GdP) supports the lower threshold for deportation of individuals who publicly endorse terror, arguing that hate propaganda and incitement to terrorist crimes should not be misconstrued as free speech.
- Criticizing the cabinet-approved draft law, the German Lawyers' Association (DAV) argues that the proposed legislation is populist and fails to consider the complexity of human life, suggesting that a single hate comment should not be the sole basis for deportation.
- The German government's plans to make it easier to expel foreigners who publicly endorse terror have sparked debate among policymakers and legal experts, with some, like the Police Union, advocating for swift action against hate speech, while others, such as the DAV, caution against overreaction that could infringe on fundamental rights.
