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The Global Legal Monitor is an online publication from the Law Library of Congress covering legal news and developments worldwide. It is updated frequently and draws on information from the Global Legal Information Network, official national legal publications, and reliable press sources. You can search previous news by searching the archive.
Austria: Terrorism - Terrorism Trial
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http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_319_text
(Mar. 02, 2008) On March 3, 2008, the trial of two suspected terrorists began in the Regional Court of Vienna. The accused were spouses who were Austrian citizens of Arab ethnicity, and they were charged with aiding and abetting al Qaeda. The accused woman appeared in court dressed in a "burqa" that hid her face and head, leaving only an opening for the eyes. After she had refused to show her face, the presiding judge removed her from the courtroom and proceeded with the trial in her absence, on the grounds that the court needed to see her face in order to find the truth (Wien: Terror-Prozess beginnt mit Schleier-Debatte, DIE PRESSE, Mar 3, 2008). The legal provision justifying this court order was section 234 of the Austrian Code of Criminal Procedure (STRAFPROZESSORDNUNG, BUNDESGESETZBLATT [OFFICIAL LAW GAZETTE of Austria] No. 1975/631), which allows the judge to remove a disorderly defendant from the trial and to try him in absentia. The case is one of first impression for Austria and it juxtaposes defendant's rights of religious expression and possibly also the right to remain silent with the court's duty to find the truth (Ein konfliktträchtiges Szenario, DIE PRESSE, Mar. 3, 2008.)
- Author: Edith Palmer
- Topic: Terrorism More on this topic
- Jurisdiction: Austria More about this jurisdiction
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Last updated: 03/02/2008