Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office extends ban on analysis of coronavirus emails
Published: Friday, Jul 5th 2024, 12:40
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The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is appealing to the Federal Supreme Court against the ban on the analysis of e-mails between Alain Berset's former head of information and the Ringier Group CEO imposed by the Bernese compulsory measures court. It did not comment on the grounds for the appeal.
On Friday, federal prosecutors confirmed information from the online editions of Tamedia newspapers and SRF radio and television. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland had "lodged a complaint in criminal matters with the Federal Supreme Court", they wrote in response to a request from the Keystone-SDA news agency. It is currently unable to comment on the content of the complaint.
At the beginning of June, the compulsory measures court of the Canton of Bern prohibited the evaluation of emails between Peter Lauener, former head of information for former Federal Councillor Alain Berset, and Ringier CEO Marc Walder in the so-called Corona Leaks affair. The Bernese court based its decision primarily on the legal protection of sources and editorial confidentiality.
A far-flung affair
The Federal Office of Information Technology had opened Lauener's professional mailbox to the special investigator Peter Marti, who was appointed in 2021, for his investigations into suspected breaches of official secrecy.
It was actually about leaks in the so-called crypto affair involving a Zug-based encryption company. According to media research, the German and US secret services had secretly supplied manipulated encryption machines to numerous countries.
Marti and the Zurich cantonal police analyzed Lauener's data and found, among other things, active email contact with Walder in connection with the Federal Council's coronavirus policy. Marti opened proceedings against Lauener and had him temporarily remanded in custody.
Marti was charged with suspected abuse of office. An investigation revealed no evidence of criminal conduct. Marti discontinued the investigation into breaches of official secrecy in the crypto case in spring 2023.
Lauener resigned from his post as Berset's head of information in summer 2022, Marti in May 2023. The Office of the Attorney General is currently responsible for the case.
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