Police monitor a protest in Geneva
KEYSTONE/© KEYSTONE / SALVATORE DI NOLFI
The civil rights watchdog Amnesty International has criticised Switzerland for not fully respecting the right of citizens to peacefully protest.
The NGO released its annual report as the world reaps the consequences of escalating conflict and the breakdown of international law. Of the 155 states controlled, Switzerland is also criticised, particularly on the right to demonstrate.
The right to protest, essential to drawing attention to human rights abuses, is violated in multiple ways across the world, including in Switzerland.
Amnesty International revisits the system requiring prior authorisation for public gatherings and finds that it is still in effect, the NGO writes in its report published Wednesday.
Unauthorised peaceful demonstrations were dispersed by force, notably in the cities of Basel and Geneva. In the cantons of Zurich and Basel City, the youth branch of a right-wing party launched a popular initiative aimed at strengthening the requirement for prior authorisation for demonstrations, and making organisers financially responsible, adds Amnesty International.
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Translated from German by DeepL/mga
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