BERLIN (Reuters) – A German court on Wednesday lifted a publication ban on the magazine Compact, which the government describes as a “mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene.” A decision on efforts to ban the publication is still pending.
The German Interior Ministry announced last month that it would ban the magazine, which has a circulation of 40,000 copies and a widespread social media presence.
The Leipzig Administrative Court stated that it could not currently be clarified whether there was a reason for Compact to be banned due to a conflicting constitutional order.
Although the court found evidence that the publication violated human dignity, it stated that the protection of press freedom took precedence in its decision to lift the ban, it said in a statement.
Compact editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer described the decision as a victory and expressed confidence that the magazine would impress in the overall ranking.
Compact is on the side of the radical wing of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which in recent years has developed from a eurosceptic fringe party into one of the most important opposition forces in Germany, despite being under state surveillance due to suspicions of posing a threat to democracy.
(Reporting by Rachel More; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
