The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) confirmed the previous sentence handed down by the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz, dismissing the appeals filed by four defendants associated with the so-called “Kaiserreichsgruppe” group.
According to the ruling, the defendants were convicted of founding a terrorist organization and committing other criminal acts. Their sentences ranged from two years to ten months, up to eight years in prison.
The individuals involved are affiliated with the “Reichsbürger” scene, which rejects the established constitution and democratic order of the Federal Republic of Germany. The charges stemmed from their plans to violently overhaul the existing government and establish a new regime based on the Imperial Constitution of 1871. Specifically, the defendants allegedly planned a coup in May 2022, which included the forced removal of the federal government and the kidnapping of the then-Federal Minister of Health.
Following a review by the 3rd Criminal Senate, the BGH determined that there were no legal errors in the original judgment presented that would exonerate the defendants. With this decision, the ruling is now legally enforceable.