Agency Report –
The European Parliament on Tuesday voted to lift the immunity of a leading lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in connection with a post on social media depicting German politicians performing controversial gestures.
The Munich public prosecutor’s office is investigating Petr Bystron over the post, alleging that the images offer the impression that the politicians performing Hitler salutes.
The AfD politician had his parliamentary immunity lifted by the German Bundestag in 2023, but proceedings against him were temporarily suspended when he won a seat in Brussels.
Bystron said it “wasn’t until the EU election campaign began that the public prosecutor’s office discovered a Hitler salute and staged an effective media campaign against me.”
The 52-year-old faces further allegations of money laundering and bribery.
Bystron is suspected of having received money in connection with the pro-Russian portal Voice of Europe in order to act in favour of Russia in the Bundestag.
The lawmaker has denied the allegations and called the proceedings politically motivated.
It is unclear if the European Parliament will also vote to waive his immunity in the second investigation.
