Staatsanwaltschaften in der Zwickmühle: Zwischen Informationsarbeit und Vorverurteilung

Abstract

Public prosecutors find themselves confronted with the challenge of finding the balance between providing information for media and respecting the suspect’s presumption of innocence. There are however opposing interests in ongoing investigations. On the one hand, there is an obligation on giving information based on state’s press law. On the other hand the personal rights of the people involved are to be respected. The article explains the prerequisites for publications by public prosecutors, in which investigation stages information could be provided and argues why principles for reporting also apply to public prosecutors.