Process - Spying for Russia: restrictions for defendants
Before the trial for alleged espionage for Russia, there is said to have been contact between the accused employee of the Federal Intelligence Service and his possible accomplice. The existing warrant for the arrest of 53-year-old Carsten L. has therefore been extended to include the risk of concealment, said court spokeswoman Lisa Jani in Berlin on Wednesday. "Focus" had previously reported on this. The trial against the BND employee and a co-defendant for treason is due to begin on Wednesday morning at the Court of Appeal.
According to spokeswoman Jani, the findings regarding possible contact between the defendants will be discussed during the main hearing. According to her, further restrictions already apply to the defendants in custody. For example, they are not allowed to work together in the same room or attend events together.
The two Germans Carsten L. and Arthur E. (32) are alleged to have passed on secret information to the Russian secret service FSB in two cases in the fall of 2022 - a few months after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. In its indictment, the Office of the Attorney General assumes that each case is particularly serious.
Court statement on the trial Statement on the indictment 8.9.2023 Criminal Code on treason Criminal Code on state secrets Information about the BND
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- The alleged espionage case against the BND employee and his suspected accomplice has attracted significant focus in Germany.
- The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine seems to have played a role in the espionage charges, according to the indictment.
- Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović has expressed concern about the restriction of access to lawyers for the defendants in this high-profile case.
- Spokeswoman Lisa Jani from the German court has confirmed that the defendants are not allowed to communicate directly with one another due to the ongoing investigation into espionage for Russia.
- German intelligence agency BND denied any involvement in the case, stating that it does not conduct espionage against its own allies, such as Germany and Ukraine.
- According to reports, Carsten L., one of the defendants, was previously employed by BND and had access to sensitive information due to his position.
- The trial of Carsten L. and his co-defendant, which involves allegations of espionage for Russia, is ongoing in Berlin, with extensive media coverage and international interest.
Source: www.stern.de
