eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 181 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26
- A pensioner is under criminal investigation for calling Chancellor Friedrich Merz "Pinocchio" in a Facebook comment.
- StGB §188 raises penalties and makes it easier to prosecute insults against politicians, so routine political criticism can be treated as a crime; likening Merz to Pinocchio is common and functions as political commentary about his reversals.
- Local police monitored social media and filed the complaint, showing how authorities can use these laws to intimidate ordinary citizens and chill political speech.