Three women fined over hate posts targeting judge

Three women have received fines after sharing a Facebook post attacking an Innsbruck Regional Court judge, ORF reported. They faced criminal defamation proceedings and media-law cases at Wels Regional Court on Tuesday.

The post, which showed the judge’s name and photograph, called her an “accomplice in murder”, prosecutors said. The women had shared or endorsed it after the judge acquitted defendants of animal cruelty this summer in a case involving a cat killed in the Kitzbühel district. The ruling prompted threats and hate posts against her.

Each woman, aged 32, 55 and 74, had a separate criminal hearing. They admitted the offence, and the proceedings were concluded by diversion with final fines of 200, 240 and 420 euros. Two women were also ordered to pay 460 euros each in damages, while the third must pay 100 euros.

In the media-law proceedings, each was ordered to pay 500 euros in compensation. They must also delete the post and publish a correction, a court spokesperson said.