In it he defended the approach in the present case, stressed that “many have done a great deal” and criticized a “general badmouthing” of police work. The executive had previously kept a low profile: State police director Andreas Pilsl referred to the APA request to the Ministry of the Interior, which in turn referred to a three-day-old broadcast in which it was asserted that everything had been done to protect the doctor. In Germany, however, the Attorney General is conducting the investigation.
“Horrible and harrowing”
In the letter, Karner addresses law enforcement officials and draws attention to the increasingly “aggressive and heated” mood in parts of society and outrage in so-called “social” media. It is “appalling and shocking” when a person “due to hate, personal threats and fears” sees no way out and takes their own life. “That goes to your heart. Of course, everything must continue to be done to investigate the originators of the threatening messages in order to achieve full clarification,” that is the primary task of the police and the judiciary.
“General bad-mouthing inadmissible”
In the case of the Upper Austrian doctor, Karner knows “that many have done a lot”. “However, a knee-jerk and general badmouthing of the police officers and police work in our country is completely inappropriate and inadmissible,” Karner continued in the letter – he would not allow such a thing as Interior Minister.
The earlier statement by the Upper Austrian State Police Directorate said that in December 2021 there was a video conference in which the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence (DSN), the State Offices for the Protection of the Constitution and Counter-Terrorism and the Medical Association took part. “The consequences of this were concrete measures, such as training, guidelines for the health sector, resident doctors, increased protection of hospitals, etc.”
“Legally possible measures exhausted”
Kellermayr has been advised by the police since November 2021. “In the course of a joint appointment between Dr. Kellermayr, DSN and LKA Upper Austria, the security situation was discussed, and in the weeks that followed there were numerous other contacts and discussions. The police protective measures around the ordination were drastically increased. All legally possible measures were taken exhausted.”
According to the Ö1-Mittagsjournal, there were five talks between the first report on November 22, 2021 and the termination of the proceedings against a German suspect due to a lack of domestic jurisdiction, more after Kellermayr received threats again.
Criticism of the course of the investigation was not addressed in the broadcast, rather reference was made to the public prosecutor’s office. Maurer said on Wednesday in “ZiB 2”: “It is shocking for me that Ms. Kellermayr received little or no support from the responsible authorities”, she had the impression that the Upper Austrian police had neither the competence nor the I was willing to pursue the case, said Maurer.
Stelzer stands behind the police
Provincial Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP), who admitted on Wednesday that he would have “expected tougher and faster action” in cases like this, stood behind the police on Thursday: “But I think so in view of the tragic death of the dedicated doctor very critical when attempts are now made to condemn the work of our security forces across the board, especially since they repeatedly come up against legal limits in their work,” Stelzer said in a statement to the APA.
However, the threats against Kellermayr should be “a wake-up call for us as a society”. “We must defend our basic social values together and therefore make all technical and human resources available to the security forces in the fight against hatred on the Internet.”
The head of the Upper Austrian police press office, David Furtner, and a Twitter user who had accused him of being partly responsible for the death of the doctor have – as reported – meanwhile settled their conflict. In addition, it was announced on Thursday that the public prosecutor’s office in Wels is now resuming the proceedings in the case.
Video: Psychiatrist Reinhard Haller talks about threats, bullying and verbal violence on the Internet.
Source: Nachrichten
