2024-05-06 17:06:25
After the so-called New Year’s Eve riots in 2022/2023, the AfD wanted to know the first names of the German suspects – and the lawsuit has now failed.
Lower Saxony’s state government does not have to reveal the first names of German suspects from New Year’s Eve 2022/23. The Lower Saxony State Court in Bückeburg decided this on Thursday. An AfD member of the state parliament had sued against it. On New Year’s Eve there were riots in the state, during which several emergency services were attacked. Some state politicians accused the AfD parliamentary group of racism.
AfD domestic politician Stephan Bothe wanted to know the first names of the German suspects from the Lower Saxony state government. The state government responded that the first names of 19 German suspects were not yet publicly known. In addition, the government would not publish them in a publicly accessible printed matter, as this would violate the legitimate interests of third parties. Bothe, however, saw his obligation to provide information violated.
In the reasons for the judgment, the State Court said that the application was unfounded. There must be fear that the legitimate interests of third parties would be violated. The parliamentary announcement of first names would mean an unjustified disproportionate interference with their right to informational self-determination and would disregard the state’s duty to protect physical integrity, the judgment continued.