Trial for breach of official secrecy and breach of data protection rules against ex-BVT chief inspector Egisto Ott, suspected of espionage, and former FPÖ politician Hans-Jörg Jenewein. The defendants denied the allegations on Wednesday.
“You will not see a spy, it will not be about abuse of office,” said Josef Phillip Bischof, the lawyer for accused Egisto Ott. The Public Prosecution Service has been investigating Ott since 2017, including for secret intelligence services to the detriment of Austria. But that’s not actually what the trial that started in Vienna on Wednesday is about.
Photos of respondents in the U-Committee to Ott
“It’s just a matter of names,” says Bischof. And about photos. In particular, the violation of official secrecy and violations of data protection regulations. In addition to Egisto Ott, former FPÖ politician Hans-Jörg Jenewein is also accused. According to the public prosecutor, the 50-year-old, who is also accused of illegally possessing brass knuckles, allegedly forwarded images from the BVT and Ibiza committees to Chief Inspector Ott and a journalist. “I didn’t want to harm anyone,” says Jenewein. The meeting of a parliamentary U committee would in any case be broadcast in a media room. According to the chat log, he replied to the journalist when she asked for photos: “What I’m doing is completely illegal.”
Ott is said to have obtained information on behalf of Jenewein in 2019 about participants in a meeting of European intelligence services and passed it on to them. According to Jenewein’s lawyer, his client and Egisto Ott had a friendly relationship. Jenewein would have needed the list during his vacation to prepare for a committee. “The file in which the names were visible was located in Vienna. Then he decided to send a quick question to Ott.”
‘I have to spy for Russia. Absurd!”
Regarding the passing on of names, Ott says that no illegal route was taken to obtain them: “There are other ways. We use other sources. There was absolutely no source from the BVT or the ministry that was tapped.” The 62-year-old appears upset, verbally attacks the prosecutor several times and sharply criticizes the now defunct Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Combating of Terrorism. . In a subordinate clause he comments on the espionage allegations. These are “absurd”.
The trial continues on Friday.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
