A German court has fined Detlef Gürth, a former member of parliament from Saxony-Anhalt and member of the Christian Democratic Party, €18,000 (7.3 million HUF) for derogatory remarks against Afghans.
“We feed them (the migrants), and they stab us”
The verdict was issued after Gürth posted what the court described as “derogatory comments against Afghans” on the social media platform X. In late June this year, an Afghan national fatally stabbed a German citizen in Berlin and later attacked spectators at the opening match of Euro 2024 in East Germany, injuring three people. The attacker was shot dead by the police.
Following the widely publicized attack, Gürth took to X and called for the expulsion of Afghans, using what the court described as “crude and offensive language.” The Halle (Saale) city court ruled that the politician must pay a daily fine of €200 for the next 90 days. Gürth, unsurprisingly, has appealed the court’s decision. He also declared, “This land needs to be cleansed of Afghans.”
Gürth also defended the police officers who shot at the Afghans, stating that “this filth must be removed from Germany.” His comments were widely condemned, with many calling the use of the word “filth” offensive to all Afghans and labeling it as a form of hate speech. It was noted that such language contradicts the principles of the German Constitution, which upholds human dignity and equal rights.
Typically, incitement to hatred can result in a three-month prison sentence, but in certain cases, the German court may convert the punishment to a financial penalty.
Translated and edited by Evan Right
