The Federal Court of Justice has rejected the appeal of a defendant who had been convicted for using symbols associated with unconstitutional organizations on an election poster. The court announced its decision on Monday in Karlsruhe.
The defendant, who serves as a member of the AfD in the Brandenburg State Parliament, was found guilty after using a poster in the summer of 2024. The poster, designed by an advertising agency, depicted a man and a woman forming a shelter over three children. According to the judges, the man in the image held his arm in a manner reminiscent of a “Hitler salute.”
The court stated that the defendant acknowledged this resemblance, yet he proceeded to have the poster printed 50 times and displayed it in Frankfurt (Oder).
The 3rd Criminal Senate of the Federal Court of Justice has now reviewed the initial verdict from the District Court of Frankfurt (Oder) and determined that there were no errors in the legal reasoning that would have favored the defendant. Consequently, the judgment is now final.
