Nobel Peace Prize
Navi Pillay’s Nobel Peace Prize sends a strong signal for international justice
The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Navi Pillay has drawn strong support from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.
8 days ago · 1 source
technology
UN rights council adopts safeguards for artificial intelligence
The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva has adopted its first resolution on artificial intelligence, calling for systems to comply with international law, banning applications that violate human rights and requiring meaningful human oversight.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Swiss history
How Switzerland abolished the death penalty
Switzerland’s history of capital punishment stretches from Enlightenment-era debate to the last civilian execution in 1940 and the final abolition of military executions in 1992. Reconstruct the legal and political road to abolition and examine how the death penalty debate shaped modern Swiss constitutional values.
Le News
Greta Thunberg
Greta Thunberg to discuss Western Sahara in Zurich
Greta Thunberg is due to appear at the Zurich Film Festival for a discussion on Western Sahara following the premiere of a documentary about Sahrawi activist Najla Mohamed Lamin.
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Russia
Switzerland has condemned Russia’s increasingly systematic repression of dissidents and civil society members abroad. A report presented to the UN Human Rights Council documents hundreds of cases, including prosecutions and convictions in absentia.
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Geneva
UN investigators in Geneva say Israel detained dozens of Syrians inside Syrian territory and reportedly transferred them to Israel, with the circumstances potentially amounting to war crimes. Investigators say the detainees’ whereabouts and condition remain unclear.
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foreign policy
Switzerland has called for independent investigations into alleged torture, sexual violence and attacks on civilians across the Middle East, while UN investigators in Geneva have raised concerns about Syrians reportedly detained in Syria and transferred to Israel.
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asylum
A new report says bureaucratic procedures are leaving asylum seekers separated from their families for years, with children bearing much of the harm.
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LGBTQ rights
The Federal Council is considering a nationwide ban on conversion practices, arguing that attempts to change or suppress sexual orientation or gender identity can cause serious harm. The move could replace Switzerland’s current patchwork of legal protections.
Le News
LGBTQ rights
The Swiss government says federal legislation against conversion practices would be preferable to the current patchwork of cantonal rules. It has condemned practices intended to change sexual orientation and warned of associated risks including psychological distress, anxiety and depression.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Swiss law
Switzerland’s Federal Administrative Court has upheld the revocation of citizenship in a case involving support for terrorism, despite the risk that the person could become stateless. The ruling raises important questions about denaturalisation, proportionality and the limits of citizenship law.
Le News
geopolitics
The Kremlin has proscribed 'Future Russia - Switzerland', a Geneva-based human rights group, as an 'undesirable organisation'. This move is part of an accelerating trend by Russia to target exiles and foreign groups, effectively banning the organization and exposing its supporters to prosecution.
SWI swissinfo.ch
LGBTIQ+
A new university study reveals a worrying trend for Switzerland's queer community, showing a rise in physical violence and widespread feelings of being unsafe. The report notes that gender minorities are disproportionately affected and many fear that hard-won legal rights and social acceptance could erode.
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Iran
In response to the ongoing violent repression of protests in Iran, the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has frozen the expulsion of Iranian nationals, including rejected asylum-seekers, granting them provisional admission.
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international affairs
Human Rights Council establishes independent mechanism to investigate alleged violations in Afghanistan, focusing on Taliban restrictions on women's rights.
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immigration
Federal Administrative Court rules refugee families must return to Greece despite challenging conditions, marking shift in asylum policy
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justice
Despite promises to prioritize international crime cases, Switzerland's handling of universal jurisdiction cases continues to face criticism for delays and alleged political interference.
SWI swissinfo.ch
human rights
Egyptian, Chinese and Russian dissidents report being tracked and threatened in Switzerland, raising concerns about transnational repression in the human rights hub.
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media
Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov shares insights on journalism and freedom of speech in exclusive Swiss interview.
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crime
Annual report reveals stable but concerning numbers in human trafficking cases, with victims from 54 different countries.
SWI swissinfo.ch
