Criminal charges against Alexander Dobrindt after TV statement

According to her lawyer, the Berlin left-wing politician Elif Eralp and her regional association have filed a criminal complaint against Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.

Specifically, the party is concerned with a situation in the ZDF program Maybrit Illner on Thursday, in which there was a war of words between Dobrindt and the left-wing parliamentary group leader Heidi Reichinnek. Moderator Illner made a promise, but immediately corrected herself: "Elif Eralp says she is anti-Semitic... She is not anti-Semitic." Then Dobrindt said: “Oh yes.”

In doing so, the Interior Minister made Illner's slip of the tongue his own, lawyer Jasper Prigge argued to the dpa news agency. That is “slander” within the meaning of the criminal code. Dobrindt makes a false statement of fact. It is an “insult” within the meaning of the Criminal Code because being called an anti-Semite is “significantly defamatory.”

“False claim by the Interior Minister”

The written statement continues: "The act is ultimately also likely to make Ms. Eralp's public work considerably more difficult. The dissemination of the false claim by the Interior Minister on television that Ms. Eralp would say that she is anti-Semitic is likely to impair her integrity as a political office holder and thus the formation of a government in the state of Berlin."