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Parliament approves stun guns for police

Police in Switzerland will soon be allowed to use stun guns as an alternative to regular weapons.

Both houses of parliament on Tuesday came out in favour of the Taser device, ending several rounds of inconclusive debate in the House of Representatives and the Senate over the past two years.

Tasers are already authorised by several of Switzerland’s 26 cantons which have widespread autonomy for their police work.

Opponents pointed out that a United Nations committee considers the guns to be a potentially lethal form of torture.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR