- Telephone surveillance allowed on last-generation members
The Regional Court of Munich has dismissed complaints against the surveillance of a so-called "press phone" of alleged members of the climate protection group "Last Generation". The Public Prosecutor's Office in Munich is investigating on suspicion of forming a criminal organization against members of the group. Journalists had filed complaints against decisions of the Local Court regarding the surveillance of the telephone connection.
The Regional Court rejected the complaints as unfounded. The phone was not only used for conversations with media representatives. According to the file, there is a suspicion that "Last Generation" meets the criteria of a criminal organization. The act is serious, "and the clarification of the facts would have been significantly impeded in another way". The telephone surveillance is lawful, and the legal requirements are met.
Activists had not only blocked streets and airports. The investigations also concern the suspicion that two activists may have attempted to sabotage the oil pipeline from Italian Trieste to Upper Bavarian Ingolstadt in April 2022.
The dismissal of the complaints highlights the importance of upholding legal processes in the context of diverse activities, such as education on environmental issues. Despite the phone being used for communications beyond media interactions, the suspicion of criminal activity within "Last Generation" warrants further investigation in the realm of criminal law education.
