Düsseldorf retiree faces fourth court case over Facebook comment

Doris van Geul, a 76-year-old retiree from Düsseldorf, is facing her fourth legal proceeding regarding a Facebook comment posted in October 2023. The comment was written in response to statements by then-Economy Minister Robert Habeck regarding Germany's reliance on immigration to meet labor needs.

In December 2024, a district court initially convicted van Geul of incitement to hatred (Volksverhetzung), sentencing her to 150 daily fines totaling approximately 8,000 euros. The court ruled that her comments generalized asylum seekers and incited hatred. Following an appeal, the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court overturned the conviction in January 2026, leading to her acquittal in June 2026. The presiding judge noted that political criticism should generally be permitted and that criminal law should not be used to stifle such expression.

Despite the prosecution previously requesting an acquittal during the trial, they appealed the June acquittal in July 2026, arguing that the comment was intended to incite hostile attitudes toward asylum seekers.