German-Kurdish Integration Award winner wins case against right-wing leader

"The verdict is a success for freedom of speech."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/05/03 19:35

Bjeen Alhassan, a Kurdish woman from Qamishlo, received the German National Integration Prize in Oct 2020 (Bundesregierung / Guido Bergmann)

Europe Bjeen Alhassan Alternative for Germany Germany Kurdish Diaspora

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Bjeen Alhassan, a Kurdish woman from Syria, won a court case against a German right-wing party member on Friday and is now allowed to speak freely.

"The verdict is a success for freedom of speech," David Werdermann, her lawyer, told Kurdistan 24. "Professor Reiner Osbild failed in his attempt to intimidate our client. The case exemplifies how the far-right AfD, which elsewhere likes to portray itself as the victim of an alleged 'cancel culture,' is itself trying to silence critics."

Alhassan earlier faced a legal complaint after talking to German media about alleged discriminatory behavior by her former MA supervisor Professor Osbild, the local chairman of the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the east Friesland region since 2020.

Professor Reiner Osbild demanded 25,000 euros in damages.

Already, on Mar. 18, the judge said the damage claim was unfounded and allowed Alhassan to speak freely.

Alhassan previously received two awards from the German government.

On Oct. 5, 2020, she received the National Integration prize for her project, 'Learning with Bijin – Empowerment of Syrian Women in Germany.'

On Dec. 3, 2021, she also received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by the country's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.