Vienna Woods Campus

Sentenced for defamation: asylum home operator convicted

Ukrainian refugees found refuge at the Vienna Woods Campus.(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

The case surrounding the private refugee home at Campus Wienerwald near Unterdambach in the district of St. Pölten has gained another chapter: following accusations of maladministration and much more, one of the operators has now been sentenced to a conditional prison sentence for defamation.

After the hiccup surrounding a private refugee home in Unterdambach in the district of St. Pölten, there has now been renewed movement in the case: after Christian Zeitz and Reinhard Fellner from the Initiative Soziales Österreich (ISÖ) have dedicated themselves to helping Ukrainian refugees for years, the protracted case surrounding the refugee accommodation on the Wienerwald campus has now been enriched by another chapter. 

As the "Krone" reported several times, serious allegations were initially made about massive abuses in the refugee accommodation near Neulengbach. However, these were immediately refuted. After the rumored grievances, problems with the change of ownership of the former home for the blind continued until Zeitz and Fellner finally faced strong headwinds from politicians. This resulted in the money tap being turned off and much more.

In June of the previous year, the private operators therefore felt intimidated by the owner and the state. In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, they made serious accusations: the money for the refugees had suddenly been withheld by the authorities. "Basic services were stopped here for no reason," Zeitz raged at the time and identified a "serious political abuse of authority".

Allegations not tenable
The FPÖ provincial councillor responsible, Christoph Luisser, immediately rejected the accusation of abuse of office in the strongest possible terms - and threatened legal action. The payment method had been changed "due to the current uncertain situation caused by the insolvency of the owner", he said in response to an inquiry. 

The threat of legal action has now been upheld: One of the two operators, Christian Zeitz, received a five-month conditional prison sentence for defamation at the St. Pölten regional court on Wednesday - the sentence is not legally binding. "Due to the completely unfounded, unfounded accusations", as emphasized by the office of Provincial Councillor Luisser. 

False accusations do not dissuade us from the toughest asylum policy. As if the mass influx of asylum seekers were not enough of a burden on our country, an accommodation provider is bringing people here on his own initiative and trying to extract money from the state using questionable methods.

Asyllandesrat Christoph Luisser

For Christoph Luisser, the court has sent the right and clear signal: "Anyone who uses unfair means and false accusations to try and push through their own interests while dragging someone else into the mud must be punished. My primary concern is the protection of my own countrymen, the many women and children, which is why our asylum policy in Lower Austria remains the toughest in the whole of Austria," said the Provincial Councillor.