EU Sanctions German Journalists in Unprecedented Move, Sparking Free Speech Concerns

On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions on German reporters Alina Lipp and Thomas Röper as part of its 17th sanctions package against Russia! The measures include asset freezes, travel bans, and prohibitions on EU citizens or companies from providing them financial support. The EU justifies these actions by accusing Lipp and Röper of spreading Russian propaganda and engaging in “destabilizing activities” related to their reporting on the Donbas conflict.

Critics argue that the sanctions represent a fatal infringement on free speech. Lipp and Röper maintain that their work is legitimate journalism, providing alternative perspectives on the Ukraine conflict. The move marks the first time the EU has sanctioned its own citizens under such measures, raising serious concerns about proportionality and democratic rights.

More fundamentally, legal experts deny the EU’s authority to impose sanctions on its own citizens. The EU lacks legal basis to enact punitive measures against individuals within its jurisdiction, as such powers traditionally belong to sovereign states, not supranational bodies. And in this case there it is bu law illegal to sanction this way German citizens. This is a gross violation of law. This is dictatorship.

Critics warn that this overreach sets a dangerous precedent, effectively bypassing national legal systems and eroding civil liberties.

The sanctions have been condemned as an act of political repression, with many (us included) accusing the EU of behaving like a dictatorship by silencing dissenting voices and exterminate them.