Aid to crime victims abroad curtailed
Parliament has agreed in principle to abolish financial aid to Swiss victims of a crime committed abroad and to cap compensation in terms of domestic cover.
The decision came despite opposition by the centre-left and brings Switzerland into line with other European countries.
The Senate followed the House of Representatives on Wednesday in approving an overhaul of the law proposed by the government.
The legislation has been in force since 1993 and notably served as the basis for payments to victims and relatives of the 1997 attack on tourists in the Egyptian resort of Luxor where 36 Swiss died.
During Wednesday’s debate senators of the centre-left Social Democratic Party called the aid cut for victims shocking. They said the state had a duty to help needy citizens regardless of where the attacks occurred.
Justice Minister Christoph Blocher argued that citizens had to take on more personal responsibility.
“Those who travel abroad have to be aware of the risks they might face.” He added that it was often impossible to find the necessary information needed to pay out compensation.
The amendment foresees setting a maximum limit of SFr70,000 ($57,637) in compensation for moral damage for victims and SFr35,000 for relatives of crimes in Switzerland.
Massive claims
Blocher, and senators from the main centre-right and rightwing parties, said they supported a cap proposed by the country’s cantonal authorities. The cantons currently bear the costs of the law and pay out about SFr30 million in compensation per year.
They are concerned about massive claims for moral damage which exceed those for financial damage.
Under the revised legislation, victims continue to have a free choice of the counselling service and victims enjoy special protection during judicial proceedings.
But both parliamentary chambers are still at odds over whether to extend a deadline for claimants to hand in requests for compensation. The bill now goes back to the House of Representatives for further debate.
Experts said the revision brings Switzerland into line with other European countries. But Switzerland is at present one of just a handful of countries offering compensation to victims of crimes committed abroad.
The Council of Europe, a top human rights body, has defined minimum standards of compensation for victims in countries to have ratified the convention.
swissinfo with agencies
The law on the assistance to victims of criminal offences came into force in 1993.
The country’s 26 cantons bear the costs of the law which amount to SFr30 million per year.
In 2003, the authorities reported 23,948 cases of counselling services for crime victims.
73.7% of these cases involved women.
445 cases involved crimes committed outside Switzerland. 164 cases of financial damages were paid out, as well as 631 cases of moral damages.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.