Danish MPs block charging of ex-minister in state secrets case – justice minister

div classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivpCOPENHAGEN Reuters – Denmarks justice minister said on Thursday it would not be possible to charge a former defence minister with leaking state secrets after several political parties and independent lawmakers pledged to oppose lifting his parliamentary immunity. p

pParties and independent MPs who together make up a majority in the assembly have in recent days declared their objection to waiving Claus Hjort Frederiksens immunity – a protection against legal prosecution granted to lawmakers. pdivdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodiv

pThe decision by Justice Minister Mattias Tesfaye followed discussions among members of parliament this week on whether or not to lift the immunity of Frederiksen, a former defence minister who remains a member of parliament, in order to allow the public prosecutor to formally charge him.p

pThe precise charges have not been made public, but Frederiksen has suggested to local media they were based on public statements made by him about a secret surveillance agreement between Denmark and the U.S. National Security Agency NSA.p

p“Earlier today, I noted that there is not a majority in parliament in favour of waiving Frederiksens immunity,” Tesfaye told a parliamentary hearing. p

p“It will therefore not be possible to bring charges in the case at this time, and I will inform the public prosecutor as soon as possible, who must then decide what to do next.”p

pFrederiksen, who served as defence minister between 2016 and 2019, said in January he had been preliminarily charged with violating a section of the penal code, which includes treason for leaking state secrets.p

pFrederiksen did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Reuters. p

p

pp Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Editing by William Macleanp

divdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivdivdiv