German Journalist Given Seven Month Sentence for Meme Mocking Government's 'Hatred' of Free Speech

German Journalist Given Seven Month Sentence for Meme Mocking Government’s ‘Hatred’ of Free Speech


Germany has been accused of violating basic Western values yet again, as a news editor in Germany faces a hefty fine and a seven month prison sentence for posting a meme mocking the government’s “hatred” of free speech.

The Bamberg district court in Bavaria sentenced Deutschland-Kurier editor David Bendels this week to seven months in prison on probation and a fine of nearly sixty per cent of his annual income, or 210 ‘daily rates’, for posting an image on social media of Interior Minister Nancy Faeser holding an altered sign.

The common meme tactic of changing the words on signs held by politicians for satirical purposes was used to make Faeser’s sign read: “I hate freedom of speech”.

Bendels was initially convicted in November, and the

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