Afgh.stan’s Taliban government on Sunday released Herbert Fritz, an 84-year-old Austrian right-wing activist who was arrested on suspicion of espionage in May last year. Austria has thanked Qatar for this.
The Austrian government said in a statement that mediation with the Qatari government secured Fritz’s release and he was able to reach Doha. When Fritz was arrested in Afgh.stan last year, Austrian media said he had reported positively on life there. Media said it strengthened the Taliban government’s anti-immigration arguments, which it says are Afgh.stan as a safe country for refugees to return to.
He was arrested on suspicion of espionage
Der Standard alleged that the Taliban arrested Fritz on suspicion of espionage. The Austrian Foreign Ministry said it had been working since May to secure Fritz’s release and thanked EU representatives in Qatar and Kabul for helping efforts for his return. According to Der Standard and other media, Fritz was a founding member of the country’s National Democratic Party (NDP), a far-right group banned in 1988.
Right wing party is ahead in the survey
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party is leading in opinion polls conducted ahead of parliamentary elections later this year. The party pressured the government to release Fritz. The party said Fritz was in Afgh.stan researching a book.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry thanked Afgh.stan’s Taliban administration for its cooperation in the release of the Austrian citizen, without naming him. However, the Austrian government considers Fritz to be active on the far right.
