Switzerland taps into Dutch DNA profiling expertise
Phenotyping could help solve more crimes, but critics argue this could come at a cost to civil liberties.
Keystone / Gaetan Bally
Switzerland plans to expand the use of DNA profiling to help solve crimes. With the issue due to come before parliament, Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter has sought advice from the Netherlands on the merits of “phenotyping”.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
The technique can pinpoint more precise information about a person than just gender, which is the limitation of current DNA analysis being used in Switzerland. It can, for example, determine where in the world a person hails from and even deduce the colour of their eyes. This helps draw up a more accurate picture of the person police are looking for.
“In future, it will also be possible to determine the colour of eyes, hair and skin, bio-geographical origin and age from a DNA trace,” read a government press release on Thursday.
Phenotyping has been used in the Netherlands since 2003 when the law was adapted to allow its use. The Swiss parliament instructed the government to look into the procedure following the unsolved brutal rape of a woman in 2015. Federal authorities are drawing up proposals to change the law to allow it to be used in Switzerland.
Phenotyping has its critics who argue that the science has its limitations and can produce false results. It is also argued that identifying the skin colour of a suspect, for example, could lead to discrimination against groups of people with the same identifying factors.
Switzerland only proposes to use phenotyping to help police solve the most serious crimes. “The method should only be used for crimes such as rape or murder, but not for property damage or other offenses,” the government stated.
On Thursday, Keller-Sutter spoke with her Dutch counterpart, Ferdinand Grapperhaus, to seek advice on how to implement phenotyping in the Swiss legal code.
The Swiss government said that, despite initial misgivings, phenotyping has now been accepted in the Netherlands. “The reason for this is that serious crimes could be solved with the new method.”
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
This content was published on
The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), Swissinfo's parent company, must restructure due to financial pressures and to stay competitive in the fast-moving media environment.
This content was published on
There has been a sharp decline in the consumption of single-use disposable plastic bags and reusable plastic bags in the Swiss retail sector.
This content was published on
A biometric Swiss identity card (ID) is expected to be available in Switzerland by the end of 2026. The Federal Office of Police and its federal and cantonal partners are working on a new ID card that features a chip.
Heatwave reduces output at Swiss nuclear power plant by 50%
This content was published on
The ongoing heatwave has forced the Beznau nuclear power plant, which relies on water from the River Aare, to halve its output.
Swiss continue to enjoy high social mobility, study shows
This content was published on
Opportunities for upward social mobility have remained intact in Switzerland since the 1980s. Social mobility is exceptionally high by international comparison, a study shows.
Swiss government affected by cyberattack on health foundation
This content was published on
Switzerland says a ransomware attack on the non-profit health foundation Radix that involved data being stolen and encrypted had also affected the federal administration.
Federal Council agrees to investigation into alleged Swiss-Russian spying affair
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland can open spying investigations into the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (FIS).
Appeal launched against Starlink satellite antennae project planned in Swiss village
This content was published on
A group of Swiss citizens has filed an appeal against plans to install 40 Starlink satellite antennae in the mountain village of Leuk in southern Switzerland.
UBS launches buyback scheme for up to $2 billion in shares
This content was published on
UBS is starting a share buyback programme for up to $2 billion (CHF1.6 billion) in shares, in line with a plan approved at its annual general meeting (AGM) in April, the Swiss bank said on Monday.
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.
Read more
More
DNA profiling gets approval
This content was published on
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives approved the use of large scale DNA testing to track down criminals. The house approved the measure by 95 votes to 50, though it still needs the Senate’s approval. “Large scale DNA tests are an important tool when the police do not have a suspect,” said parliamentarian, Dorle Vallender.…
This content was published on
The German-language paper Blick reported on Saturday that the prosecutor’s remand request had been approved ahead of the expected Sunday deadline, crowing: “The Beast of Rupperswil is already sitting in custody!” In addition to the facts of the case, the most-discussed topic in the Swiss media is the suspect’s personal history, given that he was…
This content was published on
A team of Swiss and American researchers used DNA to predict the geographic origins of individuals from a sample of Europeans, creating a genetic map with a remarkable degree of accuracy – often to within a few hundred kilometres. By analysing single-letter DNA differences in the genomes of 1,387 Europeans, experts could tell a Brit…
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.