After accusing hotel workers of anti-Semitism on social media, Gil Ofarim is now facing charges of defamation. However, his new lawyer criticizes the conditions of the process.
Leipzig – Gil Ofarim’s new lawyer warns of a “show trial” against his client. Above all, he criticizes the decision of the public prosecutor’s office to bring charges against the musician at the regional court and not at a lower instance. Alexander Stevens, who says he will defend Ofarim with his law firm in the defamation process, has now informed the German Press Agency in Munich.
The public prosecutor’s office cited the prominence of the accused as the reason for not bringing the charges before the district court in the first instance. Stevens criticizes the decision and refers to the assault process against former national footballer Jérôme Boateng. This was sentenced to a fine in 2021 by the district court in Munich.
Gil Ofarim charged with defamation
Gil Ofarim was charged with false accusation and defamation by the public prosecutor’s office in Leipzig in March. The musician uploaded an Instagram video last year in which he accused hotel employees in Leipzig of anti-Semitic discrimination. The public prosecutor’s office then began the investigation, but came to the conclusion that the incident did not happen as described by Ofarim.
Stevens is critical of the media attention the case attracted. He fears that his client will be “prejudiced”. In particular, he criticizes public statements by the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer and the former Minister of Justice Heiko Maas. With their substantive statements on the case, they had given the judiciary “guidelines for a conviction, so to speak.” An application to reject the responsible judge because of bias had already been submitted.
It is not yet clear whether the charges will be admitted to the district court. A decision from the court is expected in the next few days. (Nils Tillmann with dpa)
