This article will be continually updated and updated.
The Lower Franconian AfD state parliament member Daniel Halemba was arrested this morning. The arrest warrant against the 22-year-old was executed around 8 a.m. in Kirchheim unter Teck, Baden-Württemberg. In response to a BR query, the Würzburg public prosecutor’s office said that Halemba would be brought before an investigating judge in Würzburg today or Tuesday, who could order pre-trial detention.
The investigation is therefore based on incitement to hatred and the use of symbols of anti-constitutional organizations. The initial suspicion is said to have been confirmed after the evaluation of evidence.
Halemba wanted since Friday
It became known on Friday that Halemba was wanted by the Würzburg public prosecutor’s office with an arrest warrant. The 22-year-old belongs to the controversial “Teutonia Prague” fraternity in Würzburg, which was raided in September. The public prosecutor’s office is investigating several members – including for incitement to hatred and the use of symbols of anti-constitutional organizations.
Halemba’s lawyer Dubravko Mandić said on Saturday that there was no truth to “all the allegations against the members of Prague Teutonia.” Mandić published a video on the short message service X in which Halemba accused the state government of “repression” against the AfD and complained about a “completely arbitrary arrest warrant.”
Lawyer submits urgent application to the Constitutional Court
Normally, Halemba, as one of the youngest two MPs, would have sat as secretary at the start of the state parliament’s constituent session today, alongside the senior president, i.e. the oldest parliamentarian. AfD parliamentary group leader Katrin Ebner-Steiner demanded on Sunday that Halemba’s participation in the meeting must be made possible. The AfD parliamentary group has the right to “gather in full group strength with all members”.
According to his own information, lawyer Mandić submitted an urgent application to the Bavarian Constitutional Court, which, among other things, demanded that the arrest warrant be withdrawn. The Bavarian Constitutional Court confirmed receipt of the urgent application to the BR, but did not provide any further information – not even at the time of the decision.
SPD: A new low
The previous President of the State Parliament, Ilse Aigner (CSU), did not initially comment on the case due to the fact that it is an ongoing procedure. The SPD parliamentary group leader Florian von Brunn complained in the short message service X: “The right-wing extremists in Bavaria are causing a new low: on the first day of the new state parliament, an AfD member is arrested.” He fears that it will continue like this. Von Brunn emphasized: “We must and will oppose this!”