Victims and witnesses of serious crimes will in future be able to give anonymous evidence more easily.

Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin has announced that the option of anonymity will be extended to cover more people who have reason to fear reprisals if they testify or report a crime. Until now it was limited to witnesses in cases involving serious organised crime, but the minister argues it should be available in other cases involving extremely threatening situations. He particularly wants to encourage victims of violence and aggression to report this to the police.

Anonymous testimony can be arranged if a judge appointed by the president of the court agrees that the identity and personal details of the victim or witness should not be revealed in court and that this will not adversely influence the possibility of a fair trial. One of the options is 'remote testimony' with the witness not physically present and his or her voice electronically processed to make it unrecognisable.

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