Germany halts treason inquiry into journalists after protests

FTA: Wolfgang Kubicki, of the pro-business FDP party, also said he found it "disconcerting" that Range had ignored the NSA allegations while choosing to pursue the journalists. "Instead of intimidating journalists, the state prosecutor should resume the investigation proceedings into the NSA affair that he only recently abandoned," he said.

As an American, it is stunning to hear a politician make so much sense on a topic involving the NSA. Where there is lack of oversight, there is abuse, and we very clearly do not have functional oversight.

I have to say that I find the whole concept of treason weird and outdated. Especially for civilians.

Unfortunately, Germany did not. To understand that, one should understand the legal situation in Germany.

By opening such an inquiry the intelligence agencies have the right to intercept all communication with Netzpolitik.org. Additionally, the Generalbundesanwalt, Mr. Range, can do house search or arrests at any time even when he is “halting”.

The bet of the German government here is clear: when the media will go to the next topic there will be no clearing of the situation any more. Freedom of the press then is only a text in a not so often read constitution any more.

Responsible for these actions is German minister of justice, Heiko Maas (SPD). He himself went to the media and gave an interview where he claimed “not to understand why Federal Public Prosecutor Harald Range” is doing that. In reality, he's his boss. Range can do nothing without the minister allowing it.

Actually, they don't halt it. They just said the current state of the investigation doesn't warrant a search or taking the journalists/bloggers into custody.

The investigation still gives a legal umbrella for extensive wiretapping and similar measures.

They just said, they paused until the report by an expert comes in, judging whether the leaked secrets are actually security critical state secrets. Saying, that they paused the investigation is PR, because the first thing you would do in an investigation is exactly what the are doing right now.