Swiss far-right personality fined over anti-Semitic remarks
A former leader of the far-right Swiss Nationalist Party PNOS (Partei National Orientierter Schweizer), Tobias Steiger, made a speech in 2018 blaming Jews for World War I and II.
On Wednesday, the public prosecutor’s office in Basel sentenced Steiger to pay a fine for those remarks, according to Zurich-based media group Tamedia.
Unless he appeals, the far-right activist will need to pay a fine of CHF2,200 ($2,419) in addition to procedural costs and legal fees of over CHF6,000.
He was also sentenced to a suspended fine of CHF12,800, which he will only have to pay if he breaks the law again.
Steiger told the Keystone-SDA news agency that he is consulting with his lawyer on whether or not to appeal the decision.
The controversial remarks were made during a demonstration in November 2018 in the northwest city of Basel. Steiger, who was the Basel area leader for PNOS, has also questioned the Holocaust on Facebook, according to Keystone-SDA news agency.
Hate speech in public spacesExternal link is a criminal offence in Switzerland.
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