The trial against Bremen pastor Olaf Latzel (55) for hate speech is entering the next round. After the public prosecutor’s office appealed against the acquittal of the conservative evangelical clergyman, he has to answer in a hearing before the Bremen Higher Regional Court on Thursday. A spokesman for the Higher Regional Court of the Catholic News Agency (KNA) said that discussions were being held with the accused, his defense attorneys and the public prosecutor’s office as to whether Latzel’s statements corresponded to the facts of the case. A new hearing of evidence does not take place.
The public prosecutor’s office accuses the pastor of Bremen’s Sankt Martini congregation of having agitated against homosexuals and transgender people at an event. The regional court had acquitted him in May last year in the second instance and thus overturned an earlier conviction by the district court. On the other hand, the public prosecutor’s office had appealed. The Higher Regional Court must now examine the judgment for errors of law.
decision on Thursday
If the higher regional court shares the legal opinion of the regional court and rejects the appeal, the pastor would remain acquitted, according to the court spokesman. The procedure would then be finally over. If the court upholds the appeal, it can issue a new judgment itself or refer the case back to the district court. According to the spokesman, a decision is expected to be announced on Thursday.
In a marriage seminar that was also published on YouTube, Latzel described homosexuality as “degenerative forms of society”. Latzel said: “These criminals are running around everywhere, from this Christopher Street Day.” He condemned the idea that there are more than two genders as “gender filth”. (KNA)
