German Federal Court upholds conviction of AfD politician

The German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has upheld the conviction of Wilko Möller, a member of the Brandenburg state parliament for the AfD party. The ruling makes a previous sentence from the Frankfurt (Oder) District Court legally binding.

Möller was convicted of using symbols of unconstitutional organizations after using a campaign poster in 2024 that featured an arm gesture strikingly similar to a ‘Hitler salute’. The poster, designed by an advertising agency, depicted a man and a woman forming a roof over three children with their arms.

According to the court, although the defendant recognized the similarity of the arm position, he proceeded to have approximately 50 copies of the poster printed and displayed in Frankfurt (Oder). The BGH's 3rd Criminal Senate found no legal errors in the lower court's decision and rejected the defendant's appeal.