Berlin Court of Appeal - Trial against BND employee initially interrupted
The espionage trial against an alleged agent of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has been interrupted for the time being. It is to be continued this Thursday (9.30 a.m.) before the Berlin Court of Appeal, as the presiding judge of the 6th Criminal Senate, Detlev Schmidt, said on Wednesday. Prior to this, the federal prosecution had read out parts of the indictment during the trial, which lasted almost two and a half hours with interruptions.
It accuses 53-year-old BND employee Carsten L. and his alleged accomplice Arthur E. (32) of treason in a particularly serious case. Because the indictment contains information which, in the view of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, requires special secrecy, it interrupted its presentation after 20 minutes and requested that the public be excluded.
The court then discussed how to proceed in this matter in camera. This was very controversial, explained Judge Schmidt afterwards. A number of aspects had been mentioned that the senate wanted and needed to consider at its leisure. The court will announce its decision at the continuation on Thursday.
The two German defendants are alleged to have betrayed secret information to the Russian secret service FSB in the fall of 2022 - a few months after the start of the Russian war against Ukraine - and each received several hundred thousand euros in "agent pay" for doing so. Both are in custody.
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 Statement on the arrest of Artur E. Statement on the arrest of Carsten L.
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- The ongoing espionage trial in Berlin implicates a BND employee, facing accusations of treason, allegedly aiding Russia's secret service, the FSB.
- Detlev Schmidt, presiding judge of the 6th Criminal Senate, stated that the trial would continue the next day due to interruptions, as the court discussed secrets and special considerations in camera.
- The federal prosecutor's office had to interrupt the presentation of its case after 20 minutes due to the sensitive information contained in the indictment.
- The trial involves Carsten L., a 53-year-old BND employee and his alleged accomplice, Arthur E., who is 32 years old. Both are suspected of betraying confidential information for secret payments from Ukraine's conflict.
- Germany's security agency, BND, and the federal prosecutor's office have released statements regarding the trial, the indictment, and the arrests of both defendants.
- The Berlin Court of Appeal President, Detlev Schmidt, explained that the court faced significant challenges in dealing with the confidential case, highlighting its controversial nature.
- The Russian-German espionage case, with potential implications for both countries, demonstrates the intricate nature of conflicts between intelligence agencies and the complexities involving secrecy and public trials.
Source: www.stern.de
