Probe into spy leaks site paused

Germany’s attorney general has confirmed that a treason probe into a political website has been momentarily paused.

The state prosecution service has found sufficient real evidence of a potentially punishable public disclosure of a state secret.

However, the attorney general has instructed his investigators to refrain from undermining freedom of the press.

The journalists are calling for the investigation to be dropped.

On Saturday, more than 2,000 supporters of Netzpolitik.org journalists Markus Beckedahl and Andre Meister took to the streets of Berlin to protest about the investigation.

Some German politicians, including MP Renate Kunast, have criticised the scope of the probe, which is currently trying to ascertain whether Netzpolitik.org has been complicit in an act of treason against the state.

This relates to the publication of two articles, in February and April, which discussed the use of surveillance technology on social networks by one of Germany’s intelligence agencies.

Andre Meister told the BBC, “Pause or not, the investigation against us and our sources should be dropped completely.

“We’re doing journalism and this is protected by the German constitution.”