Hate emails against BAG director Anne Lévy: Basel court convicts 62-year-old
The criminal court of Basel-Stadt has found a 62-year-old German man guilty of discrimination, incitement to hatred and defamation. The court did not impose a custodial sentence.
Conviction following antisemitic hate emails sent to government representatives
The criminal court of Basel-Stadt has convicted a 62-year-old German man from Basel of discrimination, incitement to hatred and defamation, according to SRF. The man is said to have sent numerous emails to authorities, institutions, private individuals and media organisations.
Among the main recipients were Anne Lévy, director of the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG), and Agota Lavoyer, victim adviser and expert in sexualised violence. Both appeared in the proceedings as private prosecutors.
According to the 40-page indictment from the public prosecutor's office, the emails contained antisemitic conspiracy theories including Holocaust denial, as well as personal attacks on several individuals, some of Jewish origin. Recipients included, among others, the Jewish Community of Basel, the Federal Compensation Office, IV Basel-Stadt, the Basel-Stadt public prosecutor's office and various media organisations.
The public prosecutor's office accused the defendant of multiple counts of discrimination and incitement to hatred, defamation, abuse and misuse of a telecommunications facility. It had sought an unconditional custodial sentence of 15 months and further sanctions.
However, the court refrained from imposing a custodial sentence and also did not order residential therapeutic measures. The defendant was exempted from attending the proceedings. After opening the hearing, the court closed the evidence proceedings and proceeded directly to oral arguments.
The defence pleaded for acquittal, arguing that its client lacked criminal responsibility due to paranoid schizophrenia. A psychiatric expert report assessed his capacity for insight as difficult to determine and recommended residential therapeutic measures. The court did not follow this assessment.
The verdict may be appealed.
Source: SRF