Merkel expresses doubts on treason charges against German reporters

German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed doubts through a spokeswoman Monday on charges against two German bloggers for allegedly publishing state secrets online.

Two reporters of the German news site "Netzpolitik" were accused of treason for reporting on government plans to strengthen surveillance of the internet. Prosecutors began with an investigation after Germany's domestic intelligence agency BfV filed a complaint against the two.

Christiane Wirtz, deputy spokeswoman of the German government, said Monday that Merkel gave "full support" for German Justice Minister Heiko Maas, who has doubted whether the leaked documents were "state secrets" whose publication would endanger Germany's security.

The spokeswoman did not answer whether Merkel still has "unlimited trust" in Germany's top prosecutor Harald Range, who has been facing calls for his resignation for starting the probe, stressing that clarifying this case is currently the top priority for the German government.

"Netzpolitik" journalists Markus Beckedahl and Andre Meister were informed at the end of July that they were suspects in an inquiry of two articles published on the news site that included "classified" and "confidential" documents.

The initial charges for "treason", however, have been widely criticized, with German journalist union DJV calling it an attack on press freedom.

Range announced on Friday that he had decided to halt investigations against the two journalists. Endit