Swiss journalists could in future receive leaked bank data without fear of criminal prosecution if a parliamentary motion is incorporated in banking secrecy legislation.
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Proposta un’eccezione al segreto bancario per i media svizzeri
On Thursday the government supported a proposal from the House of Representatives that the media would be exempt from prosecution if their reporting is deemed in ‘good faith’.
Last year, a Swiss newspaper turned down the offer of leaked ‘Suisse Secrets’ data, which suggested banking links to criminals and corrupt foreign officials. The newspaper feared criminal prosecution if it followed the example of foreign media which accepted the information.
In addition to criticism from international NGOs, left-leaning Swiss parliamentarians also voiced their concern that press freedom is violated by the law.
A House of Representatives commission responded by issuing a motion to “ensure freedom of the press in financial matters”, which was passed by a narrow majority.
The government broadly welcomed the proposal in a written response on Thursday. But the Senate still has to debate and vote on the issue before any changes can be made to the current law.
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