German Engineer Jailed Over Email Insulting State Premier

Manuela Schwesig filed a complaint after a 2022 email was deemed derogatory and linked her to Russian aggression.

A 67-year-old engineer was sentenced to 30 days in jail for failing to pay a €3,000 fine over an email sent to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Premier Manuela Schwesig.
The email, sent in April 2022, called Schwesig a 'Märchenerzählerin' (fairy-tale teller) and accused her of supporting Russian war crimes.
The engineer did not contest the court-issued fine, which could have been reviewed in a formal trial if appealed.
Critics, including CDU leader Daniel Peters, argued the response was disproportionate, calling for the abolition of defamation laws protecting public officials.
Schwesig's office defended the legal action, stating the email was degrading and crossed acceptable boundaries of political discourse.