Pro-Palestinian slogan is prosecuted under criminal law
The slogan "From the river to the sea", which is often used at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, will be prosecuted in Saarland in future. Several proceedings have already been initiated by the police, as a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office in Saarbrücken told the German Press Agency on Monday. Public prosecutors in other federal states had also announced that they would classify the slogan accordingly and prosecute it.
The background to this is the ban on the terrorist organization Hamas and the organization Samidoun, which was issued by the Federal Ministry of the Interior. In addition to the use of banned symbols such as flags or headbands, the slogan "From the river to the sea" is also listed there.
The phrase dates back to the 1960s, when it was used by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). It is intended to express the goal of the complete liberation of Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea - which would also include the territory of Israel.
The public prosecutor's office and police would therefore initiate investigations into the use of symbols of unconstitutional or terrorist organizations if the slogan were used, regardless of the language. In concrete terms, this means that a conviction could result in the same penalties as the use of a swastika or a Nazi slogan. Section 86a of the German Criminal Code provides for a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine.
The classification of the pro-Palestinian slogan as extremist speech has sparked heated debates about freedom of expression and justice. Various human rights organizations have criticized the prosecution, arguing that it infringes on the right to peaceful demonstrations against extremism.
Source: www.dpa.com
