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Swiss authorities ran fewer surveillance measures last year 

Four round black video cameras, two on either side of the corner of a building. They look like big round bolts, with a rounded, bulbous centre.
Most surveillance measures were ordered to investigate property offences, which related to a third of all real-time and retrospective surveillance measures. Keystone / Christian Beutler

Swiss law enforcement authorities and the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) ordered fewer surveillance measures last year.  

The main reason for this was fewer aerial searches, i.e. checks on which mobile phones were switched on and where. 

This is according to a government statement issued on Thursday. Most surveillance measures were ordered to investigate property offences, which related to a third of all real-time and retrospective surveillance measures.  

+ Read more: Swiss government accused of massive online surveillance

Almost a fifth of all measures were carried out to investigate serious offences against the Narcotics Act and around 15% were ordered for criminal offences against life and limb. Almost 11% were ordered for emergency searches.  

The remaining surveillance measures were related to searches and the investigation of various offences, including crimes and offences against the public peace and criminal offences against sexual integrity. 

Adapted from German by DeepL/kp 

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