[Foreign Policy] Billy Six predicament continues 2019-03-17

am
German journalist Billy Six was released from Venezuelan custody after he was arrested without warrant on November 17, in Venezuela by the local intelligence service SEBIN. Six was first released under the condition that he reports to authorities every 15 days. In addition he is obliged to secrecy towards other journalists regarding his case. On March 17, Six started the journey back to Germany. [1] [2] [3]

Meanwhile the case becomes a dispute between several parties in Germany. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) has twice rejected allegations that the federal government is inactive in the case of Billy Six at the beginning of February and the beginning of March 2019. And the answer of Foreign Minister Maas (SPD) to an inquiry of the MP Jürgen Braun (AfD) is indeed striking. Maas claimed that an ambassador's detention visit had already been made on January 9, 2018 although Six was arrested on November 17, 2018. [4] [5]
Am 9.1. des letzten Jahres fand bereits ein erster Haftbesuch des Botschafters statt.
Außenminister Maas (SPD)

At 9.1. Last year the ambassador's first detention visit took place.
Foreign Minister Maas (SPD) [4]
Given the conditions of detention this is a serious allegation. Six was imprisoned in the local prison of the intelligence service SEBIN El Helicoide. He complained several times about the harsh prison conditions and went on a hunger strike at times. He was also denied the results of medical examinations after his illness with dengue fever. [6] [7] [8] [9]

The parents also accuse the federal government of doing too little for the release of their son. According to her the AfD and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have accomplished the released while the German government has never actively called for the release of Billy Six. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
Auf deutscher Seite gilt in diesem Zusammenhang unser besonderer #Dank der #AfD, die sich in Deutschland wie keine andere Partei für unseren Sohn eingesetzt und uns in dieser Zeit der Ungewissheit beigestanden hat.
Insbesondere danken wir Petr Bystron für die #Vermittlung des Kontaktes zu Sergej #Lawrow.
Wir sind erschüttert darüber, dass unser Sohn erst auf Fürbitte eines Außenministers eines fremden Landes freigelassen wurde.
Die #deutsche #Regierung hat NIE aktiv seine #Freilassung #gefordert. Das Auswärtiges Amt hat das Minimum an Aktivitäten an den Tag gelegt, um dem Vorwurf zu entgehen, nichts gemacht zu haben. Das Auswärtige Amt und Heiko Maas haben nach unseren Erkenntnissen die Freilassung eher blockiert als gefördert. Das hat uns sehr enttäuscht.

On the German side in this context is our special #Thanks to the #AfD which has worked in Germany like no other party for our son and helped us in this time of uncertainty.
In particular we thank Petr Bystron for #setting up contact with Sergei #Lawrow.
We are shocked that our son was released only at the intercession of a Foreign Minister of a foreign country.
The #German #government has NEVER actively #requested his #release. The Federal Foreign Office has employed the minimum of activities to avoid the charge of having done nothing. According to our findings the Foreign Office and Heiko Maas have blocked the release rather than encouraged it. That was very disappointing. [10]
The parents' statements are particularly interesting as Six has been released with the help of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov before. In 2013 Six spent 12 weeks in isolation in Syria after having investigated the armed opposition as in Venezuela. And the Russian government was decisive in the release of Six then. [11] [12] [13]

[1] Billy Six auf dem Weg nach Deutschland 2019-03-17
https://jungefreiheit.de/politik/ausland/2019/billy-six-auf-dem-weg-nach-deutschland/
[2] Lawyer: Venezuela Frees German Journalist 2019-03-16
https://www.voanews.com/a/lawyer-venezuela-frees-german-journalist/4833888.html
[3] Haft in Venezuela - Journalist Billy Six ist offenbar frei 2019-03-16
http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/billysix-101.html
[4] Antwort im Bundestag - Fall Billy Six: Maas weist Untätigkeit zurück 2019-02-14
https://jungefreiheit.de/politik/deutschland/2019/fall-billy-six-maas-weist-untaetigkeit-zurueck/
[5] Fall Billy Six in Venezuela - Deutscher Journalist soll vor Zivilgericht 2019-03-01
http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/billy-six-venezuela-101.html
[6] Billy Six: Deutscher Journalist in Venezuela freigelassen 2019-03-16
https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2019-03/billy-six-venezuela-freilassung-journalist
[7] Billy Six - Deutscher Reporter aus Haft in Venezuela entlassen 2019-03-16
https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/nach-vier-monaten-deutscher-reporter-billy-six-aus-haft-in-venezuela-entlassen/24110970.html
[8] Venezuela - Deutscher Reporter Billy Six aus Haft entlassen 2019-03-16
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/billy-six-deutscher-reporter-in-venezuela-aus-haft-entlassen-a-1258186.html
[9] DEUTSCHER JOURNALIST: Billy Six aus Haft in Venezuela entlassen 2019-03-16
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/deutscher-journalist-billy-six-nach-vier-monaten-haft-in-venezuela-freigelassen-16092286.html
[10] Free Billy Six - is feeling thankful. 2019-03-16
https://www.facebook.com/1972142153081848/posts/2018503355112394?sfns=mo
[11] Gefangennahme im Syrien-Krieg - Durch und durch deutsch 2013-03-06
http://www.taz.de/!5071898/
[12] In eigener Sache - Pressekonferenz mit JF-Reporter Billy Six 2013-03-06
https://jungefreiheit.de/sonderthema/2013/pressekonferenz-mit-jf-reporter-billy-six/
[13] SYRIEN - Billy, das Kind 2013-03-11
http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-91464882.html