"I will kill you"

Death threats against Van der Bellen and Nehammer

(Bild: Chantal Dorn, Krone KREATIV)

An 18-year-old from Vorarlberg had threatened to kill Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer. He was sentenced for this on Friday at Feldkirch Regional Court. 

The 18-year-old defendant has long disagreed with the policies of the Greens and ÖVP. On May 21, the unemployed man finally got carried away and committed a crime: while drunk, he wrote the following direct message to Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer on his cell phone: "I want to kill you. I can't do this anymore with your government." As soon as he had sent the message, the frustrated man hit the keys again and also threatened Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen by direct message: "I will kill you!"

When the police arrive at the author's front door on the same day, he is not at home but at an appointment at the employment service. There, the 18-year-old is finally arrested and taken to the police station in handcuffs, where he is interrogated for two hours.

"Would never commit murder"
During his interrogation, he initially only confessed to the message to Nehammer. However, this changed during the trial on Friday, where he finally admitted that he was also the author of the death threat to Van der Bellen. In his apology, he cites the fact that he was drunk at the time and adds: "Of course I didn't mean the death threats seriously. I would never commit murder." In this respect, he is sorry for what he did.

Prosecutor Sarah Nenning said to the accused: "I hope you heard the shot across the bow. You now have a second previous conviction, things are getting tight for you."

(Bild: Chantall Dorn)

Judge Sabrina Tagwercher found the defendant guilty of dangerous threats and imposed an unconditional fine of 800 euros. Because he confessed to the two crimes in the end, she refrains from revoking a five-month prison sentence imposed two years ago, but in return extends the probationary period from three to five years.