Telephone monitoring of Cicero journalist was unlawful
The collection of telephone connection data of the journalist Bruno Schirra was inadmissible, as there was no case of significant criminality.
The examination of telephone connection data during investigations into Cicero journalist Bruno Schirra was unlawful. This was the conclusion reached by the Potsdam Regional Court, as reported by Der Spiegel. Schirra had lodged an appeal against a court order ordering the collection of his telephone connection data. According to the Potsdam court's reasoning, telephone surveillance is only permissible for crimes that are "at least in the area of medium-level crime". However, Schirra's case was not a criminal offense of major significance, as he was only threatened with a fine or a prison sentence of up to one year at most.the Cicero editorial team had been investigated on suspicion of betraying secrets. The reason was an article about the terrorist Abu Mussab Al Zarqawi. As part of the investigation, the magazine's editorial office was also searched in August 2005. The investigation into Wolfram Weimer, editor-in-chief of Cicero, for aiding and abetting the betrayal of secrets was dropped last month in return for a payment of 1,000 euros.
