The 64-year-old woman from the Lohfelden municipality in Germany's Hesse state responded to the provocative social media post on Oct. 26, 2023. She used three thumbs-up emojis to express her agreement with the Swedish girl's act of self-defense. But this merited a thumbs-down from government prosecutors, who interpreted the reaction as endorsing vigilantism and mocking the deceased.
The Kassel Public Prosecutor's Office (PPO) issued a formal penalty notice to the woman months later. It argued that her reaction violated Section 140 of the German Criminal Code by "publicly approving an intentional killing" and expressing "particular pleasure" that the victim was a migrant.
The woman retains the right to appeal the penalty. But if a court upholds the fine, it sets a precedent that even nonverbal digital gestures can be criminalized based on subjective interpretation....<<<Read More>>>...