If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. A German appeals court has overturned the conviction of Deutschland-Kurier editor-in-chief David Bendels, ruling that his online satire aimed at Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was protected expression rather than criminal defamation. The dispute arose from a meme Bendels shared in February 2024. The image showed Faeser holding a sign that read, “I hate freedom of expression.” It was based on an authentic photograph taken at a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, where Faeser’s placard had originally said, “We Remember.” Prosecutors charged Bendels under Section 188 of the German Criminal Code, a clause that allows penalties for defamation of public figures. The Bamberg District Court accepted the government’s argument that the meme could be mistaken for a real photograph and might damage the minister’s reputation. It classified the post as a false factual statement rather than political humor, sentencing Bendels to seven months of probation and requiring him to issue a written apology to Faeser. The Bamberg Regional Court has now thankfully overturned that decision. The panel found that the meme, when interpreted in its full context, was clearly satirical and fell within the boundaries of constitutionally protected speech. Both the presiding judge and the public prosecutor supported the acquittal. The image that prosecutors said was criminal. Bendels welcomed the outcome as an “important fundamental judgment” and stated that he would continue to stand for freedom of the press and expression in Germany. His defense team, led by constitutional law professor Ulrich Vosgerau, described the proceedings as a “litmus test for freedom of expression in Germany.” The earlier conviction had alarmed lawyers and commentators across the political spectrum, many of whom regarded it as politically motivated. Figures outside Bendels’ ideological circle, including former Federal Minister Rupert Scholz of the CDU and media lawyer Joachim Steinhöfel, both said the meme was “unproblematic.” Bendels, who had no previous criminal record, received a suspended sentence lasting two years before the appeal. He and his publication refused to accept that verdict, and his legal representatives immediately challenged it. More: Politicians vs Memes Sparks Free Speech Crisis in Germany The prosecution’s case rested on Paragraph 188, a law introduced during Angela Merkel’s tenure. The measure was intended to protect public officials from malicious defamation, yet it has long been criticized for its potential to suppress satire and dissent. Legal analysts have warned that it could be used not to prevent reputational harm but to restrain ridicule of political authority. The acquittal reaffirms a basic democratic principle: political satire, even when harsh, remains a legitimate form of public debate. Hopefully prosecutors will remember that. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post German Court Rules Satirical Meme Protected by Free Expression appeared first on Reclaim The Net.