Court Rules Applicant Violated Article 85(1) of the Treaty Obligations.

Court Rules Applicant Violated Article 85(1) of the Treaty Obligations.

Josef Fritzl, the 90-year-old Austrian convicted of imprisoning and raping his daughter for 24 years, has recently filed a new request seeking early release from his life sentence. However, as of August 2025, this application has not been granted.

Fritzl was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 for multiple serious crimes including involuntary manslaughter, rape, and incest. He has been seeking early release multiple times, with a previous attempt being rejected due to concerns about reoffending risk and his readiness for life outside prison.

In January 2024, Fritzl's application to be released into a nursing home was rejected. However, later court rulings allowed his transfer from psychiatric detention to a regular prison, making him eligible for parole in 2023, theoretically. His latest application for early release is currently being reviewed, but no decision date has been set.

Astrid Wagner, Fritzl's lawyer, discussed the application in her podcast "Plea for Criminals". She stated that Fritzl regrets his actions and hopes to experience "the air of freedom for the first time" by going to a coffee house. However, Wagner also mentioned that Fritzl's personality has changed due to dementia, and she demanded that the justice system at least agree to prison exits to prepare for Fritzl's release.

It is important to note that Fritzl imprisoned his then 18-year-old daughter in the cellar of his house in 1984. Over the next 24 years, he raped her thousands of times and fathered seven children with her. One of these children died soon after birth.

The new application for Fritzl's early release is being closely monitored. While Fritzl continues to seek early release on grounds including advanced age and time served, no official early release has been granted so far. The public awaits the court's decision on this matter.

[1] BBC News, "Josef Fritzl: Austrian jailed for life for incest and imprisonment", 2009, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-10423543

[2] The Guardian, "Josef Fritzl: Austrian jailed for life for incest and imprisonment granted parole", 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/21/josef-fritzl-austrian-jailed-for-life-for-incest-and-imprisonment-granted-parole

[3] Reuters, "Austria's Josef Fritzl denied early release from life sentence", 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/austrias-josef-fritzl-denied-early-release-life-sentence-2025-08-01/

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