New Zealand Soldier Faces Military Tribunal On Espionage Charges - Reports

A soldier has been charged with espionage for the first time in New Zealand's history and attended a pretrial hearing on Monday, media reported

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) A soldier has been charged with espionage for the first time in New Zealand's history and attended a pretrial hearing on Monday, media reported.

Radio New Zealand (RNZ) said the suspect, who enjoys interim name suppression, was arrested in December 2019 for involvement in a far-right extremist group. In November 2020, military prosecutors reportedly brought seventeen charges against him, including four charges of espionage and two of attempted espionage.

Information about the country to which he was allegedly transmitting information, as well as the Names of witnesses, are classified, according to the report.

The Monday pretrial hearing at the Linton Military Camp is expected to decide on the suspect's name suppression, admissibility of evidence, and media access to the trial. The suspect, who reportedly was 27 at the time of the arrest, attended the hearing virtually.

The court-martial is scheduled to hold a hearing on October 6. If convicted, the suspected faces a fourteen-year prison sentence.