World Courant
Vienna says its nationwide arrived in Doha after mediation by the Qatari authorities helped safe his launch.
The Taliban have launched Herbert Fritz, an 84-year-old Austrian far-right nationalist who was arrested in Afghanistan final Might.
The Austrian authorities stated in an announcement on Sunday that Fritz arrived in Doha, Qatar, earlier within the day after mediation by the Qatari authorities helped safe his launch.
Fritz was arrested final 12 months after defying Austria’s long-standing warning in opposition to touring to Afghanistan, which returned to Taliban rule in 2021.
“I feel it was dangerous luck, however I need to go to it once more,” he instructed reporters upon arrival in Doha, when requested about his ordeal.
“There have been some good individuals, however there have been additionally some silly individuals, I am sorry,” Fritz added, describing his captors.
After his arrest, the Austrian newspaper Der Customary stated Fritz had gone to Afghanistan and reported positively about life there. He printed an article titled “Holidays with the Taliban” by a far-right media outlet.
This helped gas anti-immigration arguments that Afghanistan was a secure nation to which refugees might return, the newspaper stated.
The Taliban arrested him on suspicion of espionage, and Austrian neo-Nazis made his case public by Telegram channels, based on Der Customary.
The Austrian Overseas Ministry stated it had been working since Might to safe Fritz’s launch, and thanked Qatar and the European Union illustration in Kabul for supporting their efforts to safe his return to Austria.
A spokesperson for the Austrian ministry instructed the Related Press information company that Fritz had been held in a jail in Kabul.
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“Solely because of our trusted cooperation can this Austrian citizen return dwelling to his daughter and grandchildren,” Nehammer stated.
Fritz was a founding member of the Nationwide Democratic Social gathering (NDP), a far-right group that was banned in 1988, based on Der Customary and different media.
Austria’s far-right Freedom Social gathering, which led in opinion polls forward of parliamentary elections later this 12 months, had pushed for Fritz’s launch. The occasion has stated he was researching a ebook in Afghanistan.
Qatar’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs expressed its gratitude to X for the “present authorities in Afghanistan” for the Austrian’s launch.
“The State of Qatar has confirmed, each regionally and globally, that it’s a trusted worldwide accomplice on a number of necessary points,” the ministry stated. “It spares no effort to make the most of its energies and capabilities within the areas of mediation, preventive diplomacy and settlement of disputes by peaceable means.”
Taliban releases Austrian far-right activist held in Afghanistan | Political information
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