The trial against lawyer M., the alleged financier of the “Ibiza video”, is scheduled to take place on July 21st. The public prosecutor’s office in Vienna had filed a criminal complaint for misuse of audio recording or listening devices and for violating the Data Protection Act. Those involved suspect that the cause could end in a diversion. At least that’s what the scheduled negotiation time of just 20 minutes suggests.
The Viennese lawyer M., who is presumed innocent, admitted his involvement shortly after the video appeared more than three years ago. “It was a project motivated by civil society, in which investigative journalistic paths were taken,” it said at the time. The lawyer argued at the time that he wanted to uncover grievances.
The public prosecutor had previously investigated M. for deception – “to the detriment of Heinz-Christian Strache and Johann Gudenus”. M.’s legal representative did not want to confirm that a diversion had actually been requested, as speculated by those involved in the negotiation towards the APA. Ongoing proceedings are not commented on, it said. The public prosecutor’s office in Vienna did not provide any information either.
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