Restrictions on freedom of expression and censorship – a tool of political persecution and repression in German-speaking countries since the Middle Ages
EU flag and U.S. flag side by side against the sky – symbolic image for transatlantic relations between the European Union and the USA While the European Parliament loudly criticizes U.S. sanctions against EU bureaucrats,…
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has sent shockwaves through the political establishment with a scathing attack on current media policies and the structures of Germany’s public broadcasting system (ÖRR). In a provocative statement, Schröder compared…
It was the moment the young German democracy passed its true test of maturity. What began as a police operation against a news magazine turned out to be one of the gravest attacks on press…
By adding German citizens Alina Lipp, Thomas Röper, and Hüseyin Doğru to its sanctions lists, the European Union has chosen an action that is shaking the foundations of the rule of law and press freedom…
The Federal Administrative Court’s decision on June 24, 2025, to overturn the ban on Compact magazine represents a significant moment in German jurisprudence regarding press freedom and the limits of state power to restrict media outlets. This ruling, which…
Germany’s Berlin Republic faces a profound democratic dilemma: how to balance legitimate security concerns with the fundamental right to free expression. While Germany maintains a robust democratic framework with strong constitutional protections, recent years have witnessed concerning trends where…
On the morning of September 23, 2025, German police conducted a house search at the Berlin residence of Professor Norbert Bolz, a prominent 73-year-old media scholar and public intellectual. This event represents a significant escalation…
§ 188 of the German Criminal Code (StGB), known as “Politician Insult” (“Politikerbeleidigung”), represents one of the most controversial special offenses in German criminal law. This provision, which provides enhanced penalties for insulting politicians in…