Now she has to pay

2340 euro fine after derogatory posting

Senior citizens are also becoming increasingly active on social media. However, a 72-year-old from St. Oswald near Freistadt took things a little too far: she posted a picture of a police officer online and made derogatory comments about him. She was sentenced to a partial fine in Linz on Monday.

On February 23, 2021, a 72-year-old woman expressed her displeasure with a police officer on social media. Among other things, she had used a photo in her post in which the officer was clearly recognizable to acquaintances. In addition, she had urged the publication of his name and called for his "immediate exclusion from any human and animal world", among other things. 

Accusation of defamation
Because she had shared the post publicly, it was made accessible to a wide audience. As a result, she had to answer to the Linz Regional Court on Monday. A verdict was reached quickly: she had to pay 180 daily rates of 13 euros each, i.e. 2340 euros, for defamation. However, a third of this, 780 euros, was conditionally waived. The verdict is not yet final.