Swiss refuse action over insults to Turkish president

Latest News - SWI swissinfo.ch

Fr 17.03.2017 08:26

Bereitgestellt in:Latest News - SWI swissinfo.ch

Switzerland has refused mutual legal assistance to Turkey over alleged insulting remarks made on social media against the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan despite a law against defaming heads of state.  Turkey had lodged four complaints to the Swiss authorities concerning the comments made on social networks against Erdogan. Switzerland rejected the request for assistance in mid-January, Folco Galli, spokesperson for the Federal Office of Justice, told Swiss public television SRF on Thursday.  For legal measures to be taken, the alleged actions must be punishable in both countries.  "If similar criticisms had been expressed in Switzerland against a cabinet minister in the context of a political debate, this would naturally have been tolerated as a free expression of opinion," said Galli.  Switzerland does have a law against defaming a head of state or diplomats.  “Whoever insults a foreign head of state, a member of their government or diplomatic ...

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