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[Chariot]

Thanks to oti xero who brought that to the attention of the less good informed part of DeutschGAF.

Der Generalbundesanwalt ermittelt gegen Journalisten wegen des Verdachts auf Landesverrat. Das Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz habe Strafanzeige gegen die Verantwortlichen von Netzpolitik.org gestellt, wie das Blog mitteilte. Die Blogger hatten interne Dokumente des Verfassungsschutzes veröffentlicht.

Schriftlich teilte der Generalbundesanwalt den Journalisten André Meister und Markus Beckedahl am 24. Juli mit, dass ein Ermittlungsverfahren gegen sie eingeleitet worden sei.

Wörtlich heißt es:

Die Bundesanwaltschaft hat wegen der am 25. Februar 2015 und 15. April 2015 unter dem Titel "Geheimer Geldregen: Verfassungsschutz arbeitet an Massenauswertung von Internetinhalten (Updates)" und "Geheime Referatsgruppe: Wir präsentieren die neue Verfassungsschutz-Einheit zum Ausbau der Internet-Überwachung" in dem Internetblog Netzpolitik.org erschienenen Veröffentlichungen Ermittlungen wegen des Verdachts des Landesverrats (§ 94 StGB) eingeleitet. Ausgangspunkt hierfür waren Strafanzeigen des Bundesamtes für Verfassungsschutz.

In ihren Artikeln hatte Netzpolitik.org aus einem als "Verschlusssache - vertraulich" eingestuften Bericht des Verfassungsschutzes für das Vertrauensgremium des Haushaltsausschusses im Bundestag zitiert. Darin ging es um den Aufbau einer neuen Einheit zur Überwachung des Internets, die Verbindungen und Profile von Radikalen und Extremisten in sozialen Netzwerken wie Facebook analysieren und überwachen soll.

https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/netzpolitik-ermittlungen-101.html

english source:

The German domestic security service has urged the Federal Public Prosecutor to consider charges of treason as a result of two articles posted earlier this year by Netzpolitik.org, one of Germany’s most influential digital rights blogs. The articles reported on leaked documents regarding the German government’s mass surveillance plans. The German criminal code considers the leaking of state secrets to a foreign power, or to anyone else with the intention of damaging the Republic to be treason: the crime can be punished with up to five year's imprisonment.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/07/german-authorities-investigate-surveillance-leaks

The blog netzpolitik.org is a blog about internet centered around issues and particularly politics about the internet. They were informed by the Prosecutor General's Office that they are under investigation for treason against the Federal Republic because they published secret documents regarding new surveillance plans for social networks like Facebook.

RIP Otto von Bismarck who died on the day 117 years ago.

 

[oti]

Just to add a bit more context: The last time this happened was over 50 years ago.

 

[Irminsul]

As an addendum to the OP, the last time media were sued for treason was 50 years ago.

Also, the same guy said some time ago that NASA wasn't spying on Germany. Yes, NASA.

EDIT: Damn you, oti! At least I'm linking to non-mobile Wikipedia

 

[Deleted member 10571]

While your translation left out the part explaining the plans aren't just about general surveillance but surveillance of extremists and the radical fringe, this is still completely insane.

Netzpolitik is still down, wonder if it's because of traffic issues or because it actually got shut down at this point.

 

[Xiao Hu]

For fuck's sake.... don't they have something more important to do? Like eradicating proof for the support of modern Nazi terror or do surveillance on left wing politicians?

 

[oti]

Germany has been really weird in general lately. First (Merkel-)Schäuble pushed for Grexit, refugee shelters are burning left and right and now this.

 

[Oersted]

For fuck's sake.... don't they have something more important to do? Like eradicating proof for the support of modern Nazi terror or do surveillance on left wing politicians?

They are a big institution for a reason.

 

[Chariot]

While your translation left out the part explaining the plans aren't just about general surveillance but surveillance of extremists and the radical fringe, this is still completely insane.

Netzpolitik is still down, wonder if it's because of traffic issues or because it actually got shut down at this point.

Sorry, didn't find many english articles on that.

Germany has been really weird in general lately. First (Merkel-)Schäuble pushed for Grexit, refugee shelters are burning left and right and now this.

The refugee issue is really what is bothering me. The ringwingers getting worse and worse.

 

[Xando]

"Let's drop all investigations against the Americans because of no evidence(lol) but hey let us charge some journalists"
This administration is such a joke. Everyone is behaving like fucking idiots lately.

 

[Juicy Bob]

They leaked the plans presumably because they felt it was in the public's interest to be informed, no?

That's justifiable journalism.

 

[PdotMichael]

Quite the non-news though.

The investigation will end it soon.

 

[Chariot]

Quite the non-news though.

The investigation will end it soon.

It's news enough that they try this shit while refugee homes keep getting attacked. I don't have much faith into the Verfassungsschutz since the NSU.

 

[oti]

Quite the non-news though.

The investigation will end it soon.

I'm sorry what.

 

[Ran Echelon]

Seems ridiculous.

Also: "treason...can be punished with up to five year's imprisonment."
Is that a mistranslation or is treason considered a fairly minor crime in Germany?

 

[hal9001]

What a world we live in. Criminals get away with twisted crimes while journalists that try to inform the public are hounded down.

 

[Chariot]

Seems ridiculous.

Also: "treason...can be punished with up to five year's imprisonment."
Is that a mistranslation or is treason considered a fairly minor crime in Germany?

Isn't it always the highest possible punishment?

 

[PdotMichael]

It's news enough that they try this shit while refugee homes keep getting attacked. I don't have much faith into the Verfassungsschutz since the NSU.

I'm not sure how the two things are related but this is just another nail in Maaßen's coffin after the investigation will prove that the journalists did nothing wrong.

 

[Bedameister]

Just to give you a little update on this one:

-The investigations have been shut down
-The Public Prosecutor General who was responsible for this basically has been fired
-The reputation of our minister for justice has suffered greatly from this

 

[Funky Papa]

Good.

 

[Chariot]

Yes, very good. What were they thinking with this move.

 

[Gattsu25]

Just to give you a little update on this one:

-The investigations have been shut down
-The Public Prosecutor General who was responsible for this basically has been fired
-The reputation of our minister for justice has suffered greatly from this

Good.

 

[Branduil]

The German government prosecuting people for free speech as a crime against the state, huh.

Just to give you a little update on this one:

-The investigations have been shut down
-The Public Prosecutor General who was responsible for this basically has been fired
-The reputation of our minister for justice has suffered greatly from this

So basically, everything turned out better than expected.

 

[Chariot]

The German government prosecuting people for free speech as a crime against the state, huh.

It luckily turned out well. Fun fact: when it comes to censoring Bavaria is interesting. An CSU intendant actually tried to get the state television to not report of an party event of the social democrats. Didn't work at all, but somehow they try.

 

[Arksy]

Just to give you a little update on this one:

-The investigations have been shut down
-The Public Prosecutor General who was responsible for this basically has been fired
-The reputation of our minister for justice has suffered greatly from this

Pretty amazing response. I must admit that it'd never normally happen like this.

 

[Siegcram]

Just to give you a little update on this one:

-The investigations have been shut down
-The Public Prosecutor General who was responsible for this basically has been fired
-The reputation of our minister for justice has suffered greatly from this

It was always gonna end that way. There was no way bloggers were going to be convicted of treason after that than shady start.

I'm happy that netzpolitik is now pushing for access to all files of the investigation. No luck so far though.

 

[SPCTRE]

I laughed way too hard at this, thank you based OP

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

I laughed way too hard at this, thank you based OP

What's the english translation of the quote in the photo?

EDIT: Germany was a mistake. It's nothing but trash?

 

[Bedameister]

What's the english translation of the quote in the photo?

Germany was a mistake. It's nothing but trash

 

[Jackpot]

Good.

Kind of. They never gave a reason for the shutdown on legal grounds, just a "do what I say now" which is bad because the judiciary is supposed to be independent of the gov. So now they've added another scandal on top of this one.

 

[Irminsul]

Kind of. They never gave a reason for the shutdown on legal grounds, just a "do what I say now" which is bad because the judiciary is supposed to be independent of the gov. So now they've added another scandal on top of this one.

The judiciary is independent of the government, state prosecutors are part of it by definition. They even have to, because they are part of the executive branch and thus have to be accountable to the parliament.

 

[Kill Your Masters]

Germany has been really weird in general lately. First (Merkel-)Schäuble pushed for Grexit, refugee shelters are burning left and right and now this.

Seriously. The shelter burning/attacks is really worrying. The Anja Reschke backlash was disappointing, but at least there were also a lot of supporters. It was the first time in my life that I gladly paid for GEZ.

 

[Agent Gibbs]

Look at that state sponsored allocation of free speech® *


*Warning free speech does not include the following; criticising the government,criticising the current ruling political party, agreeing with the minority parties, Discussing foreign politics(where they are criticising the government), discussing the war, Discussing foreign politics(where they are criticising the ruling party), showing praise for alternate rights, criticising the current rights, criticising Angel Merkel, criticising the local authorities, criticising the the police, criticising the the army, being critical (of anything officially sanctioned)