Germany’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution as an Instrument for Character Assassination

The threshold to begin surveillance on an organization and its members is low, and has nothing to do with guilt or innocence. With no evidence of actual illegalities or subversive activities, the OPC can still obtain permission from the Minister of the Interior. Any trumped-up allegation may suffice, a fact well demonstrated in cases other than the Church of Scientology. The OPC's discretion may be reviewed by a court of law, but since, as the OPC repeatedly reminds us, mere “indicators” suffice for surveillance – including “indicators” semantically manufactured by the OPC – even a politically motivated OPC decision can sail through the justice system.

Because there is no prescribed formula, the OPC is not bound to complete an observation within a set period of time. Theoretically, it may continue indefinitely. Some people have been under OPC surveillance continuously for 20 or even 30 years.