The trial for incitement to hatred against German pastor Olaf Latzel, has been discontinued, after the parties reached an agreement before the regional court, reports the news website CNE.

At the beginning of the court hearing this Wednesday, the pastor of the St Martini church in the German city of Bremen, read a statement, apologising for what he said about the LGBT community.

The hearing was then adjourned, to give time to both parts to reach an agreement, and the German prosecutor's office agreed that Latzel pay 5,000 euros to the Bremen advice and action centre for queer life.

According to the judge, Latzel's words were “not good”, but whether they were criminal is “controversial among jurists”.

“It is perfectly permissible to declare publicly, citing the Bible, that you consider homosexuality a sin, but of course you are not allowed to insult other people's dignity with your words”, she concluded.

“Latzel is innocent, a free man”

Sacha Böttner, Latzel's lawyer, explained that the settlement “is based on the presumption of innocence, so that the pastor is innocent, he can now proceed as a free man”.

“There has been no finding of guilt. For us, this fact was very important in order to be able to agree to the settlement, Latzel has not been found guilty of the offence of sedition”, he added.

Latzel just said he was “gratefu”' for the outcome; while LGBT representatives pointed out that “no appeal is possible against the settlement that has now been reached, but within the church, opposition to Latzel must continue”.

Church disciplinary proceedings still pending

At the beginning of the case, the regional German Protestant Church of Bremen (BEK - EKD) to which St. Martini belongs, provisionally suspended the ministry of the pastor Latzel, arguing that it was a bad witness to society that one of its ministers had been condemned for hate speech.

Now, disciplinary proceedings against Latze are still pendingl for the BEK, which was waiting for the outcome of the legal proceedings in the secular court.

Four years

This last hearing was the fourth round of the criminal trial against Latzel,that started in November 2020, when he was accused of hate speech against homosexuals.

The court said the pastor promoted hate against the LGBT community in a marriage seminar in November 2019.

Addressing to around 30 couples he spoke of “gender filth”, “diabolical homo lobby” and “criminals”. Months later, he posted the video on his Youtube channel, and later deleted it.

He was sentenced to a fine of 8,100 euros, but appealed and the regional court acquitted him in May 2022, stating that that the fact that Latzel “intentionally wanted to insult gays cannot be proven”.

However, the Bremen public prosecutor’s office lodged an appeal against that at the Higher Regional Court (OLG), which annulled the acquittal in February 2023.

The OLG argued that the regional court had only quoted excerpts from the pastor’s speech, and they “should have included the whole talk in the grounds of the judgment”.

“We have the impression that this is a political trial. Legal reasons can no longer explain why, three years later, a pastor is dragged into court for the fourth time for some statements for which he has repeatedly apologised”, said Böttner after that verdict.

After this Wednesday sentence, there will not be further appeals.

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