A far-right German magazine can continue to be published, a top administrative court ruled on Tuesday, overturning a government-issued ban, reported dpa.
The Federal Administrative Court in the eastern city of Leipzig confirmed its preliminary decision, issued last August, ruling that former interior minister Nancy Faeser's banning of the Compact magazine was unlawful.
Faeser banned Compact last July, stating that the publication was a "central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene."
The ban was suspended after the August ruling, allowing the magazine to continue operations ahead of the main proceedings.
The Leipzig court's decision is final.
Explaining the decision, presiding judge Ingo Kraft said the Basic Law – Germany's de facto constitution – "guarantees freedom of opinion and freedom of the press even to enemies of freedom."
While the magazine contains highly polemical statements, the line to anti-constitutional behaviour was not crossed, the court said.
Editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer welcomed the decision on Tuesday and said it would also have ramifications for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Elsässer described the magazine as "the assault gun of democracy" and said that if it was impossible to ban Compact, it would also be impossible to ban the AfD – a move backed by some German lawmakers to prevent the rise of the far-right party.
"We are the strongest voice of the opposition," he added. "And you will be hearing more from us."
Founded in eastern Germany in 2010, Compact has a circulation of 40,000 copies.
The magazine was classified by domestic intelligence as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization in 2021, allowing it to be put under surveillance.
- Far-right
- Compact magazine
- Germany
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
