By 
16-07-2024
Innocenti Chiara
Human Rights and Europe Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence
(BERLIN) July 16th, 2024 – On Tuesday, July 16th, the German Government placed a ban on the far right Compact magazine, citing allegations of hate speech and discrimination against foreigners. This repressive measure will produce immediate effect, mandating the urgent cessation of all activities conducted by the magazine and its subsidiaries, the publisher Compact-Magazin GmbH, and the film production company Conspect Film.
The State has been closely scrutinising the magazine’s publications for years, as it was already classified as “extremist” by the domestic security watchdog in 2021. Despite this classification, the magazine has continued to be available for sale at newsagents, boasting a circulation of about 40,000 copies and a significant presence on social media.
For many, the publication has close ideological affiliation and promoted the rise to power of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), a.k.a Alternative for Germany party. This party, now the sole representation of right-wing extremism in the national Parliament, is known for its original anti-euro stance, alarming antisemitism, and a strict closed-door policy fiercely criticizing tolerant attitudes towards foreigners. In January 2017, the AfD came under media spotlight causing disorder and public backlash, when regional AfD leader Bjoern Hoecke, referred to the Holocaust Memorial as a “Monument of Shame”, arguing for more space in history textbooks for German victims of World War II.
On July 16th, after observing the Compact magazine’s latest cover tagline, “Germany for the Germans”, Berlin decided to outlaw the magazine as a clear “mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene” in German politics. Compact magazine described itself the “voice of resistance”, but objectively served as an incitement to racism, antisemitism, and islamophobia, while also laying a solid foundation for far-right nationalist conspiracy theories aimed at overthrowing the democratically elected State.
The decision to prohibit the magazine’s distribution across the country came together with dawn raids in four German states targeting properties connected with the extremist magazine. This action provoked a strong reaction from Compact’s editor and CEO, Jürgen Elsässer, who invoked the constitutionally-guaranteed ‘press freedom’ threatening to bring proceedings against the State. While the line between free speech and incitement to hatred and racism, remains a topic of debate in democracies, the International law makes it clear that human rights like freedom of expression and press freedom, find a limit when the imparted information can be detrimental to others. By acting in conformity with the German Basic Law and the Act Governing Private Associations, and opting to halt the work at Compact magazine, Berlin has conveyed a clear message of rejection against a past of acute racism that refuses to be perpetuated.
References and Further Readings
Cole, D. (2024, July 16). Germany bans ‘rightwing extremist’ Compact magazine. The Guardian. Retrieved on July 16, 2024, from <https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/16/germany-bans-rightwing-extremist-compact-magazine>.
Hagan, R. (2024, July 16). Far-right magazine banned in Germany for being ‘mouthpiece of the extremist scene’. The Independent. Retrieved on July 16, 2024, from <https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/germany-far-right-ban-magazine-compact-b2580461.html>.
Murray, M., Swantje, S. (2024, July 16). Germany bans right-wing Compact magazine and searches properties. Reuters. Retrieved on July 16, 2024, from <https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-bans-right-wing-compact-magazine-searches-properties-four-states-2024-07-16/>.
(2023, June 7). The rise of Germany’s most successful far-right party since the Nazis. Reuters. Retrieved on July 13, 2024, from <https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rise-germanys-most-successful-far-right-party-since-nazis-2023-06-07/>.
(2023, January 6). Freedom of speech is not freedom to spread racial hatred on social media: UN experts. United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. Retrieved on July 10, 2024, from <https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2023/01/freedom-speech-not-freedom-spread-racial-hatred-social-media-un-experts>.
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