Father of the Hanau assassin sentenced to a fine for insult

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The father of the Hanau assassin in the hearing room at the district court in Hanau

Photo: Boris Roessler / dpa

The father of the Hanau assassin has been sentenced to a fine of 4,800 euros by the Hanau district court for insult in two cases.

In both of these cases, the court thus dismissed the defendant's appeal against a lower court judgment by the Hanau District Court.

In a further charge, the court overturned the district court's decision and acquitted the 75-year-old of the charge of insult.

The man's son, a 43-year-old German, shot nine people in Hanau for racist reasons on February 19, 2020 and then killed his mother and himself.

The public prosecutor had accused the father of describing people who had taken part in a demonstration near his home – including relatives of the victims of the attack – as “wild strangers” in a criminal complaint.

He was also accused of having described a special task force that was deployed in his house on the night of the crime as a "terrorist squad" and "terrorist unit".

In both of these cases, freedom of expression has to take second place to the interests of those affected, said the presiding judge in her verdict.

According to the indictment, the man had also accused the mayor of Hanau, Claus Kaminsky (SPD), of “voter deception”.

In this case, too, it is indeed a matter of a "defamatory statement", but at the same time a "critique of power", which must be possible, according to the judge.

jso/dpa