Press Council: Weltwoche went too far in the "Strehle case
The Press Council believes that *Die Weltwoche* went too far in its reporting on Res Strehle’s past. Despite the public interest in Strehle’s career, even a public figure is entitled to protection of his or her privacy.
On February 7, Weltwoche had accused Strehle in its cover story of having cultivated contacts "with bombers and left-wing extremists" in his younger years. The magazine's front page showed a police photo of Strehle for identification purposes and was subtitled "Der Tagi-Chefredaktor und die Terroristen" ("The Tagi Editor-in-Chief and the Terrorists"). Strehle then appealed to the Press Council (Werbewoche.ch reported). He wanted to have clarified "whether this kind of campaign journalism, as practiced by Weltwoche, is permissible," as he told the news agency SDA at the time.
"The publication of the police photos on the front page is completely disproportionate," Dominique von Burg, president of the Press Council, told the media in Zurich on Thursday. Weltwoche thus violated Strehle's personality as well as his privacy. "Here Weltwoche has failed," Vice President Max Trossmann also said.
Principle of proportionality
The Press Council emphasizes that there is a public interest in critically examining the professional career and political past of the editor-in-chief of an important newspaper. "But even in the case of public figures, careful consideration must be given to the protection of personality rights and the public's right to information," said Trossmann, adding that the principle of proportionality in particular must be taken into account.
The public interest in the political biography of an editor-in-chief does not justify publishing nearly 30-year-old police photos, Trossmann said. The Press Council also criticized the combination of the article with photos of convicted violent criminals and terrorists. The public interest also does not entitle Weltwoche to make the thesis, which is not supported by facts and distorts the facts, that Strehle, as a possible accomplice and ideal supporter of political violence, had an "irritating proximity to bombers and left-wing extremists."
Serious accusations
The Press Council describes the accusations as "serious". In the case of such accusations, a person affected would have to be heard, Trossmann emphasized. The weekly newspaper had indeed done this, but "insufficiently and at too short notice." "You can't submit such serious accusations about events that happened decades ago only a few hours before the editorial deadline." According to the Press Council, however, the magazine did nothing wrong in its research. "We have not seen that Weltwoche used unfair methods in obtaining the police photos or incited third parties to violate official secrecy," Trossmann said.
After the publication of the police pictures, the Zurich cantonal police had filed a criminal complaint with the chief public prosecutor's office for violation of official secrets. However, it is still unclear how Weltwoche got hold of the pictures. "The proceedings are suspended," Corinne Bouvard, spokeswoman for the chief public prosecutor's office, told sda on Thursday. The perpetrators could not be identified.
Strehle notes the decision with satisfaction, as he said in response to an inquiry from SDA. The Press Council had confirmed his view that Weltwoche had made technical errors.
"Press Council Stalls Reappraisal Process".
Weltwoche editor Roger Köppel took note of the Press Council's statement "with great astonishment," he told SDA. It is "more than ironic that this body is stifling the process of coming to terms with Strehle's past," Köppel said. After all, the Press Council is committed to clarification and transparency.
More on the subject:
Weltwoche-Pranger: Aggrieved parties fight back
