Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Anyone whose asylum application is rejected in Switzerland can be held in so-called administrative detention for up to 18 months.
Legally, such detention conditions must differ significantly from those in penal institutions. In practice, however, this is often not the case, according to the Swiss Observatory for Asylum and Aliens Law.
The summer session of the Swiss parliament ends on Friday June 20, but several important matters were addressed today.
It had already been agreed that stalking would become a criminal offence in Switzerland. Now, both parliamentary chambers have also approved the details. In future, stalking – including within intimate relationships – will be prosecuted upon request. The decision followed a proposal from the conciliation conference.
Today the Senate also discussed the “neutrality initiative” put forward by the Swiss People’s Party and the Pro Switzerland Association. The initiative demands that Switzerland uphold strict neutrality, including refraining from imposing sanctions, such as those against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
While the Senate unanimously supported Switzerland’s neutral status, there was disagreement over whether neutrality should be explicitly enshrined in the constitution, and how strictly the term should be defined. In the end, a majority of senators rejected the initiative, but backed a direct counterproposal from the Centre Party. The House of Representatives will now consider the issue.
The Swiss Observatory for Asylum and Aliens Law (SBAA) has criticised the conditions of detention for rejected asylum seekers, saying they are often indistinguishable from penal detention.
When a person’s asylum request is denied, they can be held in administrative detention for up to 18 months – not as punishment, but to ensure their departure.
Such detention must differ clearly from prison. In reality, this is rarely the case, the observatory’s managing director, Lars Scheppach, told Swiss public broadcaster SRF. “Even the detention facilities themselves often fail to meet this requirement,” he said. Most centres used for deportation are former prisons, featuring high walls, bars and barbed wire. Freedom of movement is heavily restricted, and inmates are often locked in their cells for disproportionately long periods.
Responsibility for these facilities lies with the cantons. The conference of cantonal justice and police directors told SRF that the cantons have been working to separate deportation detention from other forms of custody for years and have made significant progress. A full and immediate overhaul, however, would be logistically and financially unfeasible, they added.
After a seven-month pause from national votes, Swiss voters will return to the polls on September 28. The official campaign for one of the main federal proposals – the e-ID Act – began today.
A previous attempt to introduce an electronic identity was rejected in a 2021 referendum. Following public backlash, parliament drafted a revised version of the law, which it passed in December 2024. However, critics remained unconvinced, prompting a fresh referendum.
Opponents cite concerns over data protection, digital integrity and the risk of misuse. In an interview with Le Temps newspaper, Michael Schöll, director of the Swiss justice ministry, said the new proposal addresses those concerns: “The new draft takes into account the demands of the opponents. In future, the e-ID will be issued by the state.”
Car ownership trends in Switzerland continue to reflect regional clichés: wealth in Zug, frugality in Bern.
According to new data from insurance provider Axa, drivers in canton Zug spend an average of CHF67,000 ($81,891) on their vehicles – nearly 35% more than the national average. Residents of cantons Zug and Schwyz also own the heaviest cars, partly due to larger vehicle models and the increasing prevalence of electric cars, which are heavier due to their batteries.
At the other end of the spectrum, drivers in cantons Bern, Schaffhausen and Appenzell Outer Rhodes own the oldest vehicles – on average 11 years old. In contrast, cars in Ticino are the newest, averaging 8.9 years.
Appenzell Inner Rhodes stands out for a different reason: it ranks near the top for car value due to a legal loophole. Many major car rental firms register their fleets there thanks to a special agreement with the federal government and cantonal vehicle authorities.
Translated from German using DeepL/amva/sb
In compliance with the JTI standards
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