Benko moves to house arrest with electronic tag – criticism of two-tier justice
René Benko leaves prison and serves his sentence under house arrest. Merkur.de commentator Mike Schier criticises the signal from Innsbruck justice sharply.
Benko under house arrest: Innsbruck court permits switch with electronic tag
René Benko has left prison and is now serving his sentence under house arrest – with an electronic tag. As merkur.de reports, the Innsbruck Regional Court enabled this switch after Benko had served two-thirds of his previous sentences, with pre-trial detention counted towards this.
In September, the former property entrepreneur was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment. In December, a further sentence of 15 months on probation followed. However, as these sentences cover only part of the charges against him, Benko is now again classified as a pre-trial detainee – with the associated different regulations.
His defence lawyers have arranged a 60 square metre flat for him, where the privately reportedly impoverished ex-billionaire intends to prepare for upcoming trials. On 4 and 5 November, Benko will appear before the court again. Further highly complex proceedings are still pending, with further convictions considered likely.
Merkur.de commentator Mike Schier voices sharp criticism of the decision. Whilst small drug dealers or burglars have to remain in custody, Benko is permitted to change facilities. "Fortunate is he who has the right connections!", writes Schier. He emphasises that one need not be a conspiracy theorist to question the decision critically.
Legally, Schier acknowledges that the procedure may be watertight. However, the signal sent out by the decision is nevertheless disastrous: the impression must not be created that there is a two-tier society in the prisons.
Source: Google News LU DE