Merkel: ‘emphatically’ backed her minister of justice in casting doubt on the treason
investigations.
DPA
Berlin
German Chancellor Angela Merkel distanced herself yesterday from a treason investigation against two domestic journalists for publishing plans on Internet surveillance in the country.
The treason probe was triggered by a move by the nation’s domestic intelligence services to file charges against the journalists for allegedly publishing government secrets.
Merkel “emphatically” backed her Minister of Justice Heiko Maas in casting doubt on the treason investigations into the two journalists employed by the blog Netzpolitik.org, the chancellor’s spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz said.
Federal Prosecutor-General Harald Range announced the investigation on Thursday into claims that the website’s journalists uploaded excerpts of confidential documents that were taken from the intelligence services.
Facing an outcry from German media and politicians, Range suspended the treason proceedings on Friday, saying that his office would wait for the results of a report on the alleged publication of the classified material before deciding what further steps to take.
A criminal complaint from the country’s domestic intelligence service triggered a treason investigation of journalists at netzpolitik.org, an award-winning news portal that has campaigned for civil liberties in the digital world.
However, Wirtz said Maas had the chancellor’s “full support”.
Wirtz also went on to stress that the government held freedom of the press in the highest regard.
Echoing Merkel’s remarks, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere was also indicated that he supported Maas’ doubts about the treason charge.
Approximately 1,300 people joined a rally for freedom of the press on Saturday at the justice ministry in Berlin, police said.
