Overview
- Judges held two days of hearings on June 10–11 to assess whether ‘Compact’s content and organizational ties justify upholding the 2024 ban.
- The interior ministry accuses the magazine of promoting an ethnic German identity and publishing calls for “revolution” and “remigration” linked to extremist figure Martin Sellner.
- Editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer maintains that ‘Compact’ is a legitimate press outlet protected by free speech and says he distances the publication from Sellner’s most radical ideas.
- The German Journalists’ Association warns that a full ban on a media outlet could set a restrictive precedent and advocates for targeted measures over a blanket prohibition.
- The June 24 verdict will either reinstate the ban, rendering ‘Compact’ immediately illegal, or allow it to continue publishing despite any non-suspensive appeal to the Constitutional Court.