German lawmaker likely to be fined for Nazi slogan use if convicted
A leading member of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is likely to receive a fine at most in the event of a conviction for the use of a banned Nazi slogan, the court has said.
A prison sentence and revocation of Björn Höcke's ability to hold office is not expected, said court spokeswoman Adina Kessler-Jensch after the end of the second day of the trial.
Prosecutors accuses Höcke of knowingly using a banned slogan of the Storm Troopers (SA), the Nazi paramilitary fighting organization, during a speech in 2021.
The possible punishment in the case ranges from a fine to three years imprisonment. If the defendant were to be sentenced to at least six months' imprisonment, the court could, as a secondary consequence, declare that the defendant is disqualified from from holding office.
Höcke intends to stand as the AfD's top candidate in the state elections in Thuringia in September.
Höcke admits to having used the words in his speech. However, the former history teacher claims he did not know about the historical context and the ban on the phrase.
