Abuses in the parking lot: man from Röbel receives a fine of 2,400 euros

Abuses in the parking lot: man from Röbel receives a fine of 2,400 euros

In an extraordinary case of verbal aggression, a 43-year-old man from Röbel in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was fined 2,400 euros in front of the Waren an der Müritz district court. This incident, which occurred between late 2023 and early 2024, not only entails personal consequences for the defendant, but also reflects the major challenges in dealing with insults that are becoming increasingly common in our society.

The defendant, who already has a solid criminal record with eight entries, pleaded guilty to four counts of insult, particularly against his former landlord and a former neighbor. What was particularly noticeable was the public insulting of an acquaintance in a parking lot, where he called her a “child molester.” As a result, he didn't leave his landlord alone and sent him insulting messages in which he called him a "dirty pig" and a "nasty."

The legal basis

Insults, slander and slander are crimes in Germany according to Section 188 of the Criminal Code that can be severely punished. Insults can be punished with a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years, while slander and slander can be punished even more severely and can even land you behind bars for several years. Such laws are not established without reason: they serve to protect people in political life and are intended to prevent them from being damaged by defamatory attacks without reason. These regulations were most recently expanded by the law to combat right-wing extremism and hate crime in 2021, which also includes value judgments.

A central aim of this law is to make it transparent that expressions of opinion must always be balanced between the freedom of speech and the personal rights of the person being offended. Especially in politically explosive times, it is important to ensure the protection of politically active people. Situational insults like those of the Röbeler are a serious problem here.

The consequences for the defendant

The defendant stated during the trial that money and housing problems had pushed him to commit his actions. Under pressure, he blamed others for his problems and didn't seem above insulting those around him. The critical public prosecutor Ralf Röder pointed out that such behavior cannot go without consequences and did not rule out prison sentences. Judge Rolandträger ultimately decided on the fine, but made it clear that the spiral of insults can also have fatal consequences.

The debate about insults and their social impact is more current than ever. According to that Federal Criminal Police Office The number of cases of insults recorded by the police has increased continuously in recent years. This phenomenon is not only of psychological urgency, but also of social urgency.

At a time when discourse is becoming increasingly heated and aggression in communication is increasing, it is important to take responsibility for one's own words seriously and to treat one another with respect.