Hundreds Of Journalists, Researchers, Concerned Citizens Sign Letter Protesting Netzpolitik 'Treason' Investigation
from the sign-the-letter dept
We've written a few times now about how the news site Netzpolitik has been investigated for treason for reporting on some efforts to expand German internet surveillance. The site published the leaked documents supporting that claim, which would be clearly protected by the First Amendment here in the US. However, in Germany, it resulted in a treason investigation... and widespread protests as people are quite rightly concerned about the chilling effects of targeting journalists. There's also been some political mudslinging as there's been some debate over whether or not the investigation should move forward.Now a bunch of people (including me) have signed an open letter protesting the investigation. The statement is quite short and to the point:
"The investigation against Netzpolitik.org for treason and their unknown sources is an attack against the free press. Charges of treason against journalists performing their essential work is a violation of the fifth article of the German constitution. We demand an end to the investigation into Netzpolitik.org and their unknown sources."You can also see the statement in a variety of other languages as well. The statement has received many hundreds of signatures already and you can add your name as well.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: free speech, germany, journalism, surveillance, treason, whistleblower
Companies: netzpolitik
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
You might include the chief of the german counter part of homeland security who started the whole thing but hey, secrets and all so he can't be blamed or prosecuted.
Fyi, the prosecutor has to do what the minister of justice tells him, and the minister of justice has to do what the chancelor aka Merkel tells him. But yeah sure, the guy who was responsible is gone.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
As long as the state of a "Landesverrat" ("treason") investigation is "open", the normal protections of the press are suspended since the accusation is a real grave one. So the "Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz" is free to eavesdrop even on protected communications of the persons named in the indictment, namely the Netzpolitik journalists.
This is very likely the state that Maas/Maaßen intended the investigation to be in in order to give them a legal excuse for pissing on the freedom of the press.
Apparently Range did not understand the purpose of his orders and went about them according to the book. Which would have made the state of the investigation progress one way or another by determining liability of the journalists for the past publication one way or another when the actual goal was being able to set up a trap with the legal excuse of an inflated charge.
All that was required for this to work was proper feet-dragging and Range failed to deliver and then exploded in rightful indignation when called on it.
The feet-dragging now is provided by the change in "Generalbundesanwalt". Of course, the new one will first have to assume office and work himself into matters before making any decisions.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
Hey, they are only legaly able to so for the next 2 years. I mean come on... 2 years of everything you write,say on a phone, email or in a phone text beeing recorded... that's just what? 1 year short of what can be legaly recored of every German in a few months? Why even care?
In 2-3 months all Germans will have all of their communication recorded for years by the "Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz" (read: German Homeland Security at least more or less because they sponsor rightwing terrorists (fact! they pay CIs who distribute the money to the rightwing/NeoNazis)). And still only a few thousand german people care. If you are German and care, ask whoever you meet in the bus or train to give you their cellphone and if they say "No!" or anything "WTF? WHY?" ask why they give their phone to the Gov who was recently hacked. That is no criminal offence because it is a simple question.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
typo...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
What Constitution?
Constitution? What's that? We asked the U.S. and they didn't know either.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: What Constitution?
Fun fact: the U.S. formally has a constitution.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: What Constitution?
Another fun fact: Germany doesn't have laws either. They have "Gesetze" instead. In fact, English isn't even their primary language (imagine that), so few things have English names there. "Grundgesetz" does, however, translate into "Constitution" in English.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: What Constitution?
Wrong. The word for "Constitution" is "Verfassung". Indeed, "Artikel 146" of the Grundgesetz states that the Grundgesetz will lose its validity on the day the Germans choose to pass a "Verfassung".
The Grundgesetz was written after WWII for West Germany on order of the allied forces as a temporary substitute for a proper Verfassung. It's been doing a pretty good job and people have become used to it, so nobody could be bothered actually following through with creating a formal Constitution to supersede it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: What Constitution?
WEST Germany (AKA FRG). Since that no longer exists - it's just Germany now - does that document no longer exist, or did it replace what East Germany (AKA GDR) had?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: What Constitution?
https://translate.google.com/#de/en/Grundgesetz
constitution
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: What Constitution?
FTFY
Seems like every politician or appointed head of a department is attacking key parts of the constitution these days. Flat out calling for the constitution to be tossed out all in the name of "security" despite their oath of office.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Confirmation Email never arrived
The confirmation email never arrived so I guess my voice won't be heard.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Confirmation Email never arrived
What are you talking about? When you trip over something that's in your way, do you just lie there crying in the mud?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
http://www.funkemedien.de/de/presse/medienmitteilungen/news/Nach-Androhung-von-Zwangsvollstre ckung-FUNKE-stellt-Afghanistan-Papiere-offline/
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Signed a letter?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Signed a letter?
That argument is not really going to fly against people signing a protest against a violation of press freedom. For that, one would have to switch to straightforward illegal measures.
Since we are not talking about the U.S. but Germany here, that's not really "the next step" but rather a different level. So it would require different people and different (non-)authorizations with a different level of criminal energy. Possibly "with a little help from our friends".
[ link to this | view in chronology ]