In January 2024, he’s mentioned to have defamed the rector of the College of Klagenfurt, Oliver Vitouch, in his weblog. The rector then sued the Salzburg native beneath the Media Act and mentioned in the beginning of the trial on Might 23: “It was and is Weber’s curiosity to break my popularity.”
Nevertheless, the decision isn’t but legally binding, the courtroom spokeswoman informed APA within the night. The proceedings involved statements that Weber made in reference to the dismissal of two German college professors in Klagenfurt in 2015 and 2017. In a weblog publish that’s nonetheless out there on his web site, he requested whether or not the dismissals had been a “present of energy” by the rector.
Scientists are nonetheless combating the results
He additionally wrote that the 2 colleagues are nonetheless combating the results of their dismissal, that they are going to by no means be capable of get a foothold in science once more and that one of many two ladies is affected by well being issues. “Vitouch has ruined each of them financially, reputationally, mentally and bodily for the remainder of their lives,” mentioned Weber. Each scientists additionally said that that they had been persistently pursued by the rector for years and that even the smallest discrepancies of their statements had been criticized.
“These claims are false,” mentioned Vitouch’s lawyer Maria Windhager. On the identical time, Weber violated his journalistic responsibility of care within the weblog as a result of he didn’t give the rector the chance to remark. At the beginning of the proceedings, Vitouch himself spoke of an “unacceptable barrage of untruths and accusations.” The dismissals of the 2 professors had been the results of complaints from workers, and the allegations had been mobbing and bossing. He’s a humanist, individual of integrity and doesn’t are inclined to display energy.
Vitouch sees intent to trigger hurt
For him, the selection of phrases “ruined for all times” already implies an intention to hurt. For Vitouch, it was no coincidence that the weblog publish was printed in January, when the listening to for the place of rector on the College of Klagenfurt happened. On the time, he was among the many three candidates, however Ada Pellert, the rector of the German FernUniversität Hagen, in the end received the race. She is going to take workplace on December 1, 2024. On Wednesday, Vitouch speculated once more whether or not Weber might need acted on a fee order – which the latter denied and provided the decide to have a look at his revenue information referring to the incident as proof.
At the beginning of the proceedings, Weber’s lawyer Georg Zechbauer responded that the offence of defamation had not been dedicated. Weber was identified for criticising malpractice at universities. The rector had not been accused of any crime. And that the 2 professors would undergo severe penalties on account of their dismissal was “all true”.
“Completely different guidelines apply in my weblog”
Weber himself mentioned that he sees the weblog as a sort of “whistleblower platform”. He takes the criticism that he has not complied with journalistic due diligence on his personal shoulders. “Completely different guidelines apply in my weblog.” His assertion that the 2 ladies had been “ruined for all times” by Vitouch was a tabloid-like exaggeration.
An worker of the authorized division of the College of Klagenfurt, who was known as as a witness, mentioned on Wednesday that the rector didn’t make it simple for himself when he dismissed the 2 professors. “And it was by no means his resolution alone. The vice-rector was at all times concerned in consultations and selections.” She additionally mentioned she had not skilled Vitouch persistently pursuing deviations: “Quite the opposite.”
Within the run-up to the trial, Weber informed journalists that he would proceed to combat in opposition to college corruption, abuse of energy and plagiarism, whatever the courtroom’s resolution.
