Journalists “affected” too
Investigators admit wiretapping against Last Generation
06/25/2023, 11:39 am
For months, investigators in Bavaria have been listening in on the phone calls of members of the Last Generation. The Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office confirms a media report. Although journalists were not the target of the measure, they were “affected”.
The Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that investigators tapped into calls made by members of the Last Generation climate group. The Munich district court had issued resolutions on the surveillance of telecommunications because of the initial suspicion of the formation or support of a criminal organization against members of the group, the authority said on request.
These decisions were carried out by the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office. The “Süddeutsche Zeitung” had previously reported that the authority had apparently had numerous conversations between activists and journalists tapped for months.
Last generation reacted outraged
A spokesman for the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office said: “It should be made clear that the resolutions were not directed against journalists. However, they were affected by the measures due to calls made to the monitored telephone numbers.”
He explained that before and during the monitoring, their proportionality was constantly checked. The Attorney General’s Office had come to the conclusion, just as before the decisions were made, that the measures were proportionate to the allegations. “In this consideration, the constitutional status of freedom of the press was of course weighted accordingly,” said the spokesman.
As early as Saturday, the last generation expressed shock at the wiretapping. The fact that private telephone conversations were also overheard and recorded was “disturbing,” explained the spokeswoman for the movement, Carla Hinrichs. According to a statement, the activist Imke Bludszuweit, who may also be affected, called it “absurd and frightening what artillery is being used here to suppress peaceful protest”.