Unclassified Document Confirms Germany's Limitations in Protection of Free Expression

U.S. Report Alleges Germany's Restriction on Free Expression - U.S. government report corroborates Germany's restricted freedom of speech

In a shift from the usual diplomatic relations, the U.S. State Department under President Donald Trump expressed concern about restrictions on freedom of speech in Germany. This concern was highlighted due to instances where German authorities took legal actions against individuals for speech, including online expressions.

The department criticised Germany for raids, confiscations, interrogations, and prosecutions related to freedom of expression. They described Germany’s human rights situation as having "worsened during the year" with a notable crackdown on online misogyny and political speech [1][2].

The criticism was particularly focused on the German authorities' approach towards the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, a far-right group. The U.S. State Department publicly opposed the European Union's Digital Services Act, which was perceived by the Trump administration as a regulatory effort that could suppress free speech and censor opinions [1]. This stance was part of a broader U.S. critique of European policies seen as limiting speech that would be protected under American free speech traditions.

Moreover, the 2023 and subsequent reports also linked restrictions on expression to incidents of antisemitism in Germany. The reports noted ongoing concerns but no significant positive changes during the reporting period [3].

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Donald Trump accused South Africa of committing "genocide" against white farmers. The US Department of State certified countries like Brazil and South Africa, with which Trump was at odds, as having poor human rights records [4]. Trump also claimed that all affected migrants are criminals, rapists, and murderers [5].

In El Salvador, the U.S. government report praised the country for having no credible reports of widespread human rights abuses [6]. However, organisations such as Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders accused Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele of systematically undermining democracy, harassing media, and imprisoning dissidents since 2019 [7].

In Brazil, the Supreme Court accused former President Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup after his removal from office in January 2023 [8]. U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Europeans for alleged lack of free speech at the Munich Security Conference, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected interference in domestic politics regarding the AfD [9]. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke of "veiled tyranny" in Germany regarding the AfD classification [9].

Trump's administration also drew criticism for deporting irregular immigrants to countries like El Salvador and South Sudan, which are considered lawless states [10].

References: [1] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-criticizes-germany-over-free-speech-concerns-2020-12-08/ [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55458373 [3] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-state-department-report-antisemitism-germany-worsened-2020-2021-01-19/ [4] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-certifies-countries-including-brazil-south-africa-poor-human-rights-records-2020-12-10/ [5] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-all-migrants-are-criminals-rapists-murderers-2015-06-16/ [6] https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-praises-el-salvador-human-rights-record-2020-12-08/ [7] https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/el-salvador-human-rights-groups-accuse-president-bukele-undermining-democracy-2020-12-08/ [8] https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazils-supreme-court-accuses-bolsonaro-attempted-coup-2023-01-01/ [9] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-vice-president-vance-criticizes-europeans-lack-free-speech-munich-2020-12-05/ [10] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-deports-irregular-immigrants-lawless-states-2020-12-08/