German authorities have been criticized for their handling of a court case involving a Jewish Israeli activist, Dror Dayan, who is accused of using a slogan that is considered a symbol of a terrorist organization. The slogan, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is a long-standing Palestinian nationalist phrase that is not illegal in most countries, but is considered a criminal offense in Germany.
Dayan, a film producer and activist, was scheduled to stand trial on January 27, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Soviet Red Army. However, the trial was delayed due to a witness’s illness and is now set to take place on May 5, 2025.
Dayan’s lawyer claims that the prosecution is an attempt to silence critics of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and to criminalize the Palestinian solidarity movement. Dayan himself has criticized the German government’s support for Israel’s occupation, which he believes is a form of repression and a justification for the Israeli military’s actions in the Gaza Strip.
The case has sparked criticism from some quarters, with the University and College Union in Liverpool launching an online petition in support of Dayan and the Palestinian cause. The petition condemns the German government’s attempts to criminalize the Palestinian solidarity movement and to equate the use of the slogan with the display of Nazi symbols.
The case has also raised concerns about the erosion of free speech and the criminalization of dissent in Germany, particularly in the context of the country’s complex and often contentious relationship with Israel and the Palestinian territories.