Court Rules in Favor of El Ghazi, Upholding Freedom of Expression

The Rhineland-Palatinate State Labour Court has ruled against Mainz’s appeal, determining that El Ghazi’s right to freedom of expression took precedence over the club’s rationale for terminating his contract. Initially, Mainz issued a warning to the 30-year-old player following his first social media post, but subsequently opted for immediate termination after a second post. The court concluded that such a summary dismissal was not legally justified, asserting that disclosing a personal political opinion does not constitute grounds for immediate termination. As a result, Mainz is obligated to pay the full salary as per the contract with the Dutch winger.

El Ghazi was dismissed in late 2023 after he expressed support for Palestine on social media, shortly after the Hamas attacks on Israel. In his Instagram post, he stated, “This isn’t a conflict and it’s not a war. This is genocide and mass destruction, and we’re witnessing it happen live. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

In response, Mainz suspended him, labeling the post as ‘unacceptable.’ Following a subsequent post in which El Ghazi reaffirmed his stance, the club moved to terminate his contract. This decision followed El Ghazi’s deletion of the post and an apology in which he expressed regret for his choice of words, emphasizing that he advocates for ‘peace and humanity.’

Born in the Netherlands, El Ghazi commenced his professional career with Ajax in 2014, quickly making a name for himself as a promising winger. After four successful seasons in Amsterdam, he transferred to Lille in 2017 for €8 million. An injury-plagued period in France led to a loan move to Aston Villa in 2018, where he played a pivotal role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League. Villa secured his services permanently in 2019 following his impactful performances in the Championship.

While in England, El Ghazi scored four goals and provided four assists during his debut Premier League season, contributing significantly to Villa’s efforts to avoid relegation.

In 2022, he joined Everton but struggled to make a notable impact, which precipitated a return to the Netherlands with PSV. Following a brief tenure in Eindhoven, he signed with Mainz in September 2023 on a two-year contract, yet managed only three substitute appearances before his contentious dismissal.

After the termination of his contract, El Ghazi relocated abroad to further his career and is currently with Qatari club Al-Sailiya.

Club chairman Stefan Hofmann commented on the recent ruling, stating, “We have to accept this decision. However, we stand by our position on the substance: Based on the values and convictions that define Mainz 05, the continued employment of individuals who express and behave in fundamental contradiction to these values will be excluded in the future as well.”

El Ghazi is now continuing his career with Al-Sailiya, having signed a two-year contract in September of this year.