The room was packed when Gil Ofarim appeared before the regional court in Leipzig on Tuesday to face the defamation charges.
More than two years ago, the 41-year-old Jewish musician and actor made serious accusations of anti-Semitism against an employee of a hotel in the eastern German city. However, based on their investigation, the public prosecutor did not believe him and charged him with defamation. But for Ofarim’s defense it is clear: if even one discriminatory word is spoken that evening in October 2021, the Munich artist must be acquitted.
The musician, who was in Leipzig as a guest for a Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk production, described in a video that went viral that a hotel employee asked him to take off his Star of David necklace so he could check in. The musician had previously complained about favoritism from guests standing in line behind him.
“That is not the truth,” says prosecutor Andreas Ricken. The suspect wrongly portrayed the employee as an anti-Semite. At check-in, the Star of David was not visible under the musician’s shirt. That’s the prosecutor’s version. Ofarim only made the star visible during the video recording.
According to the defense, Ofarim does not want to respond to the allegations for the time being. The case is a “classic case of testimony against testimony,” Ofarim’s attorney Alexander Stevens said after the indictment was read. It’s possible the case was a misunderstanding or bad mood — or an “anti-Semitic innuendo,” the lawyer said. It is important for society that the judge determines the truth.
The lawyer further emphasized that it is “not about the star, but about the experience of discrimination”. Bullying and discrimination are difficult to prove, especially for victims. In this case, public opinion is determined by several lies. For example, it is wrong for the hotel to conduct an open and honest investigation after the incident.
The defense also considers it “completely implausible” that the incident happened as the hotel employee described it. The investigation against the employee was closed by the Public Prosecution Service after extensive investigation.
The court has scheduled ten days of hearings for Ofarim’s trial until December 7. The presumption of innocence applies until the procedure has been legally completed. (saw/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
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