North Rhine-Westphalia: Reul on abuse complex: compromise on data protection necessary

Cologne (dpa / lnw) - North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) considers changes in data protection to be necessary after the newly uncovered abuse complex in Wermelskirchen.

North Rhine-Westphalia: Reul on abuse complex: compromise on data protection necessary

Cologne (dpa / lnw) - North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) considers changes in data protection to be necessary after the newly uncovered abuse complex in Wermelskirchen. The state should not "rummage around" in the data of citizens, Reul said on Tuesday in the "Morgenecho" on WDR 5. However, when there are indications of the abuse of children, it should not be "that investigators only get to the IP address". . Political actors would have to find an "intelligent solution". Reul called for a "compromise" on the subject of data protection in order to improve the protection of children from sexual violence and to catch perpetrators quickly.

Investigators had reported on Monday about the most brutal abuse of children, the youngest victim was one month old. The main suspect is a 44-year-old from Wermelskirchen, who is said to have offered his services as a babysitter on the Internet and thus approached his victims. He also exchanged child pornographic images and videos of "unimaginable brutality" with dozens of other men. So far, 73 suspects and 33 victims have been identified.

Reul said that as a former member of the European Parliament, he had been dealing with data retention since 2004. He is now "happy and relieved" about an initiative by EU Interior Commissioner Ylva Johansson, who wants to oblige platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp to check pictures and films to see whether they contain depictions of child abuse.