Far-right AfD leaders call ban on magazine 'blow' to press

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has sharply criticized the government’s ban on the far-right Compact magazine.

The decision, announced on Tuesday by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, is “a serious blow to the freedom of the press,” said the far-right party’s leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla in a joint statement.

The two said banning a press organ was “a denial of discourse and diversity of opinion” and accused Faeser of abusing her powers “to suppress critical reporting.”

Faeser had issued a ban on editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer’s magazine and had premises associated with the media organization searched in four states.

The ban was justified on the grounds that the monthly magazine disseminates “anti-Semitic, racist, anti-minority, historical revisionist and conspiracy theory content.”

Police officers stand in front of a detached house on the street. According to the German Ministry of the Interior, the police have been searching the premises of "Compact" magazine, which has been classified as right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, and Conspect Film GmbH since the early hours of the morning, as well as the homes of leading players, management and shareholders in Brandenburg, Hesse, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Thomas Schulz/dpa — Police officers stand in front of a detached house on the street. According to the German Ministry of the Interior, the police have been searching the premises of “Compact” magazine, which has been classified as right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, and Conspect Film GmbH since the early hours of the morning, as well as the homes of leading players, management and shareholders in Brandenburg, Hesse, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Thomas Schulz/dpa

EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel