The lawyers for Rammstein singer Till Lindemann threaten journalists with legal action in a statement – the German journalists’ association criticizes this heavily and speaks of an attempt to muzzle the press.
In the course of the allegations of abuse against Rammstein singer Till Lindemann, the Berlin law firm Schertz Bergmann recently published a press release. In it, the lawyers who represent Lindemann in this case in matters of press and publicity law accuse the press of “inadmissible reporting of suspicions”. “In almost all cases, there was a lasting prejudice against our client,” it says. Legal action would be taken “immediately”, according to the law firm, which called for objective and balanced reporting.
The German Association of Journalists (DJV) sees this critically. “The threat of legal action against journalists is an attempt to muzzle the media,” said DJV national chairman Frank Überall in a press statement.
Suspicious reporting is entirely permissible
According to Überall, reporting of suspicions is perfectly permissible as long as it adheres to the rules of the mirror: “This absolutely includes facts.” Press Association.
In addition, reporting is necessary due to Lindemann’s prominence and the seriousness of the allegations: “The allegations against the frontman of one of the best-known German bands are so serious that they have to be researched and reported.” The journalists’ association said the media should get rid of the Don’t let Lindemann’s lawyer intimidate the press release.
Does the threat from Lindemann’s lawyers make press work more difficult?
Criticism of the statement by Lindemann’s law firm also comes from the head of the research cooperation between NDR, WDR and “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, Daniel Drepper. “We know how suspicion reporting works,” he is quoted as saying by “Die Welt”. “I don’t feel intimidated. We were clean before, now we’re clean and we’re still investigating.” Drepper says the Lindemann attorneys’ announcement could make investigations more difficult because it “acted like a threat to the women [wirkt]who are talking to us or are considering whether they want to talk to us. And of course that has an impact on the reporting.”