Parliamentary mobilization to vote to prevent former defense minister from going to trial on charges of leaking classified information
Parliamentary parties have joined forces to form an alliance to prevent the lifting of immunity from former Defense Minister Claus Hjort in the Danish parliament, with the aim of preventing him from being brought to trial in a case of leaking classified information.
The case began when Klaus Hjort was indicted in December 2021 in what is known as the leak case, and was charged under Section 109, which deals with the unauthorized disclosure of highly confidential information.
The nature of the information that Klaus Hjort passed on to the public was not disclosed, but he himself stated that it concerned the fact that he had publicly confirmed cooperation via the secret cable (communications cables) with the United States of America, which had been reported on by the Danish media earlier. Klaus Hjort has said all along that he is not guilty.
On May 12, the Ministry of Justice announced that the public prosecutor would bring charges against Hjort under Article 109. According to the constitution, members of parliament are protected from prosecution, and therefore a majority in the Danish parliament must vote to lift the immunity of Klaus Hjort if he is to be brought to trial. However, with a parliamentary majority mobilized to vote against lifting Hjort's immunity, as happened today according to local media, it will no longer be possible to bring him to trial.
