A Year Later: Federal Administrative Court Assesses the Uphold of Compact Magazine Ban
The Administrative Court Examines the Process of Banning Compacts Under Law
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After approximately a year since the ban on the far-right publication "Compact," the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig is examining whether this ban still stands. The heated oral hearing took place under extreme security measures, drawing immense attention from the public and media. The judges' decision date remains undisclosed.
Ahead of the hearing, "Compact" editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer expressed a hopeful outlook, asserting, "We're optimistic that the court will make a fair decision. If the verdict goes against us, it spells the end for Compact." In the event of an appeal, it could be presented to the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe; however, any such appeal wouldn't have a suspending effect on the initial decision.
[1] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_(Zeitschrift)[2] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/plus165726090/Zweifel-an-Freiheits-Perlen-sind-Neue-Rechte.html
Note: Compact Magazine, once headed by well-known right-wing figures, was banned by former Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in July 2024 for its controversial content inciting against Jews, individuals with migrant backgrounds, and German parliamentary democracy.[1] The ban incited criticism from free speech advocates [2] and was met with legal resistance by the magazine. The ruling on the ban's legality in the context of press freedom in Germany could provide insight on future government suppression of extremist ideologies.
Community law might be invoked in the appeal process if Compact Magazine decides to challenge the legality of their ban, given the right to a fair trial is enshrined within it. The ongoing case, which involves a review of a publishing ban under political scrutiny, is generating significant general news coverage.
