German Imam Sentenced for Hate Speech Against Jews

A Bavarian court handed a suspended sentence to a mosque preacher for inciting violence against Jews following the Hamas attack on Israel.

A 37-year-old imam in Weiden, Bavaria, called for the killing of Jews during a prayer shortly after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
The preacher, who is of Syrian origin, made the statements in front of approximately 50 worshippers at a local mosque.
He was convicted of incitement to hatred and received a seven-month suspended prison sentence after admitting to the charges.
The court also ordered the imam to pay €4,000 to an anti-Semitism research organization in Bavaria.
Prosecutors emphasized the case's significance in defining the limits of religious and free speech when it endangers others' rights and safety.