Social Media Platform Centered on Justice and Legal System Integrity: Instagram for Law Enforcement and Courts
At the Memorial Site Buchenwald, a poignant reminder of the judiciary's social responsibility, a chilling chapter of history unfolds. During the Nazi era, numerous judges were implicated in sending individuals to concentration camps, many of whom never returned. One such individual was Wilhelm Billotin, sent to KZ Buchenwald in 1942 as a "securely detained person." His offenses, primarily theft-related, led to his classification as a "public menace." After serving in World War I, Billotin struggled to reintegrate into society, succumbing to the inhumane conditions in Buchenwald just half a year later.
every year, the presidents of the Higher Regional Courts, the Court of Appeals, the Bavarian Supreme Court, and the Federal Court of Justice gather at this memorial site during their annual conference in Weimar. Their purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of strengthening the "resilience of the rule of law," a recurring topic at these meetings.
Stefan Otte, president of the Higher Regional Court of Celle, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the necessity of robust judicial independence. "We need the rule of law, we need independent judges for the rule of law," she said at the conference's conclusion. "It's time to ask ourselves, are we actually protected?" Potential threats to the judiciary's independence are not limited to the Nazi era; right-wing extremists and populists, such as those within the AfD party, continue to question the impartiality of German courts.
One tactic employed by right-wing extremists is their attempt to infiltrate the legal system. This includes traditional legal training routes and calls for like-minded individuals to serve as lay judges. While some have gained entry, instances have been identified where these individuals must be removed if their beliefs contradict the Basic Law.
The resilience of courts, Otte explains, is closely tied to the acceptance of legal findings. Courts and individual judges must make ongoing efforts to communicate the relevance of the rule of law, especially to younger generations. This includes being present on social media platforms popular among youth, such as Instagram and TikTok.
Jörg Müller, president of the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe, has been active on social media for around three years, hosting the law podcast "Samt vs. Seide." Despite occasional challenges, Müller maintains that the responses from users have generally been positive.
Ironically, Müller's hosting institution, the Thuringian Higher Regional Court in Jena, lacks a strong social media presence. However, the President of this court, Thomas Schneider, has promised to improve digital engagement when personnel circumstances allow.
This ongoing digital presence is crucial in maintaining the judiciary's relevance in today's society, an issue that dominates discussion among court leaders throughout Germany. While there is no concrete evidence of the AfD party directly targeting the independence of the German judiciary, broader debates regarding maintaining judicial autonomy in the face of political extremism persist. This reflects the broader European context, where the rule of law continues to face challenges from populist movements.
- As part of their effort to maintain judicial independence and strengthen the rule of law, court leaders in Germany are increasingly present on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, aiming to engage younger generations and explain the relevance of legal findings.
- While the independence of the German judiciary is not just a concern from the Nazi era, contemporary threats to its impartiality, such as those from right-wing extremists and populist parties like the AfD, are attempting to infiltrate the legal system through traditional training routes and the selection of lay judges.
- The integration of education-and-self-development, politics, general-news, crime-and-justice, and entertainment topics on social media platforms becomes essential for the judiciary in order to counter populist movements and maintain its social responsibility, as demonstrated by Jörg Müller's law podcast and ongoing digital presence.
