Thursday, 13 February 2014

Investigations against Edathy: experts throw Minister Friedrich breach of official secrecy ago

Investigations against Edathy: experts throw Minister Friedrich breach of official secrecy ago

The case Edathy expands: Could the then Interior Minister Friedrich SPD leader Gabriel about possible investigations against Sebastian Edathy inform? Constitutional law are of the opinion of the CSU politicians had violated the obligation of professional secrecy. Also, investigators are outraged.

Berlin - Former German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich (CSU) has in the opinion of constitutional lawyers violate professional secrecy, as heinformed the SPD chairman Sigmar Gabriel about possible forthcoming criminal investigation against his party colleague Sebastian Edathy . "I see no basis for authority to abolish the official secret in this case," said Ulrich Battis, Berlin expert on constitutional and administrative law, on Thursday SPIEGEL ONLINE. That the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) Friedrich and remember the Edathy informed, though was the "normal official channels," the minister should the information but do not pass readily, so Battistelli.

Christoph Degenhart, Professor of Administrative Law at the University of Leipzig, which looks similar: "Frederick would have to keep this official secret for themselves," Degenhart told SPIEGEL ONLINE. He can see no reason that would justify disclosure of this information. "That was probably politically motivated."

The dissemination of information to the SPD leadership also meets with the competent investigators with harsh criticism. "That borders on obstruction of justice," a representative of the investigating authorities said on Thursday, the news agency dpa in Hanover. "We have come into a situation in which the searches have not used," said the representative of the investigating authorities.



Friedrich, who is now Minister for Agriculture and Food, defended meanwhile the disclosure of the information. The minister had been taken place in late October by his Secretary Klaus-Dieter Fritsche, Edathy that had appeared in international investigations on a list of names, said Frederick former speaker in Interior Ministry, Jens Teschke, the news agency dpa. That information came from the BKA. Friedrich did not know what kind of suspicion if it were against Edathy. The Minister had dug deeper, if there were criminal allegations against the SPD politician.Fritsche have denied that.



"For the minister was important that there were no criminal charges," said Teschke. Due to the "political dimension" of the case and in view of the risk that the list of names could become public, he then informed the SPD party leader Gabriel in a confidential conversation.



SPD parliamentary leader Thomas Oppermann had previously in a written statement informed that Gabriel was informed by the then Interior Minister Friedrich about the case Edathy in October 2013. Gabriel, who had not yet belonged to the federal government, have passed on this information then also Oppermann himself and the then parliamentary leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier.



Oppermann added: "I've be confirmed in a telephone call from BKA President Jörg Zierke this information in October 2013." Gabriel, the current Foreign Minister and he had "agreed on the person to keep the information confidential so as not to jeopardize any investigation."



No contact with Edathy



SPD parliamentary leader Oppermann stressed that he had exchanged with Edathy no information. "I have had with Sebastian Edathy in this matter until his resignation no contact. After retiring I have Sebastian Edathy sent a text message with good wishes for his future. Further contact I had with him."



This is particularly relevant given that Edathy possibly knew of the impending investigation and therefore last Friday its withdrawal from the Bundestag declared to forestall a procedure for waiver of immunity.Therefore, could have been warned whether and by whom Edathy The question arises. For investigators view, this question is of importance because during the search of Edathys office and private rooms little evidence was apparently discovered. According to SPIEGEL information, the investigators found, among others, before the remains of a destroyed hard drive.



There is another point to ask new questions. Oppermann said on Thursday in his message: "After their election, I've Christine Lambrecht informed in December 2013 as the successor to my first parliamentary secretary." This yields a contradiction to the statement that the Lambrecht-actuated on Tuesday told reporters. You had said in response to the case Edathy: "I refer only to the mentioned reasons, which became known in the media I personally have no knowledge of what is the reason for the investigation.."

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