A Syrian traded a number of stuffed animals on the Internet – without permits. A fine was imposed on the man from Salzburg who protested that he had not recognized the injustice. The father of seven got away with a diversion.
It was a very short but highly unusual process that was scheduled for the Salzburg regional court on Thursday. The accusation: Violation of the Species Trade Act. A Syrian (40) living in Salzburg bought and sold a number of stuffed animals via an Internet platform known throughout Austria. All of the stuffed animals were protected and some endangered creatures. According to the criminal complaint, he had bought the following animals between August 2021 and October 2022: a kestrels, a hawksbill turtle and a sparrow hawk. According to the indictment, he had sold significantly more stuffed animals between February and October 2022: namely a cow and a little egret, two little owls and two flamingos, a hawk, a gray parrot and three kestrels. As it turned out, the father of seven had not dealt with them the laws that apply in this country: he thought that the clear rules only apply to living animals. The defendant therefore pleaded guilty in principle. Due to his assumption of responsibility and his many duties of care, the court showed leniency and offered a diversion: If he pays a fine of 200 euros, the criminal proceedings will ultimately be dropped. Sale is not punishable in principle By the way: In principle, the sale of such stuffed animals is quite possible – as a quick glance im showing on sales platforms on the net. But trading requires certain permits. Exceptions are defined in the relevant law.
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