Hate poster convicted

Accused of running amok: “Was in a state of shock”

The 23-year-old Artur A. was wrongly branded as the perpetrator of the rampage in Graz because of his similar name or the same initials on the internet.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Christian Jauschowetz, Facebook)

After the school rampage in Graz, a young man from southern Styria was wrongly branded as the perpetrator due to similar names on social media. The 23-year-old is taking legal action against the hate posters. One of them was now in court in Graz and caused a shake of the head with his intransigence.

The case of Artur A., an Armenian living in southern Styria (photo above), who was wrongly portrayed as the perpetrator after the rampage at the Dreierschützengasse secondary school in Graz due to a similarity in names, shows what ill-considered posting and sharing on social media can do. As reported, the 23-year-old is now defending himself with legal action against the authors of the hate posts.

Following initial trials in Eisenstadt and Vienna, a 63-year-old man went on trial in Graz on Friday for defamation. He published the name of the young man on his Facebook profile as the alleged gunman. "Not guilty, of course!", the man from Graz said in front of judge Christoph Lichtenberg. He was angry because no media outlet had written who the assassin was.

"Just wanted to name the dead perpetrator"
He then googled the name himself and came across it. "But the fact is, he wasn't the perpetrator. You accused him of multiple murders with your post!" said the judge. "I didn't even know he existed. I just wanted to name the dead perpetrator," the man with multiple convictions defended himself. "What can I do if some idiots post the wrong name?" the unemployed man tries to talk his way out of it. "You did exactly the same thing!" the judge shakes his head. 

The fact is, he wasn't the perpetrator. You accused him of multiple murders with your posting!

Richter Christoph Lichtenberg

"It still haunts me today"
Artur A., who had addressed the public in a poignant online video after the allegations emerged, described again in court that he received thousands of hate messages and threats. Out of fear, he and his parents stayed at friends' houses for a few days. "I was in shock, I couldn't sleep for nights on end, it still haunts me today," says the 23-year-old.

Just two weeks ago, the passionate footballer had scored the decisive goal for his team in a match - "then people shouted from the stands and called me a man running amok," says the young man, describing how the defamation is still having an effect.

"The matter is absolutely clear and your attitude towards it - to put it diplomatically - is irritating," the judge says to the defendant and continues: "It is completely incomprehensible to me how you can be so dogged after such a tragedy and absolutely want to post the name of the perpetrator. I'm at a loss for words."

"I cannot accept the verdict"
The man from Graz is sentenced to a fine of 720 euros for defamation (the minimum penalty given his financial situation), a compensation payment of 5,000 euros to the victim and publication of the verdict on his Facebook profile. "My conscience won't let me do this, I can't accept the verdict", says the defendant in conclusion and lodges an appeal. The verdict is therefore not final.

Further trials will follow in the coming weeks. In total, Artur A., represented by lawyer Michael Rami, is taking action against hate posters in around 30 cases.