She was sentenced in January 2014 to a fine of CHF500 ($563) for begging in Geneva on a public highway. The woman, who had no work and was not receiving social assistance, was then placed in pre-trial detention for five days for not paying the fine.
However, the Strasbourg-based court said on Tuesday that the sanction was not proportionate either to the aim of fighting organised crime or of protecting the rights of passers-by, residents and business owners.
“Placed in a situation of manifest vulnerability, the applicant had the right, inherent to human dignity, to be able to express her distress and try to remedy her needs by begging,” said the European court. It said Switzerland had violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights on protecting the right to respect for private and family life.
The court ordered Switzerland to pay the applicant €922 for non-pecuniary damage.
Begging is banned in most Swiss cantons, but associations working with the marginalised say bans are hitting the most vulnerable.
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Ban on begging hits Switzerland’s most vulnerable
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In one canton where begging has been outlawed, the authorities are satisfied with the results, but those affected are suffering great hardship.
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?
Swiss price watchdog negotiates lower fees for card payments
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Small businesses in Switzerland will have to pay fewer fees for cashless payments from customers over the next few years.
Lakes in Central Switzerland have best water quality for bathing
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Anyone who swims in a lake in Central Switzerland need have no fear of infection from intestinal bacteria. The water samples taken at 65 bathing sites in 13 lakes all have good to excellent bathing water quality.
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Unknown assailants have stolen a historic ring from a Basel museum. The stolen item was a gift from Russian Tsar Alexander I to his host in Basel in 1814.
More May hotel guests in Basel than at any time in past 90 years
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Basel hotels recorded 150,854 overnight stays for the Eurovision Song Contest in May. This corresponds to a year-on-year increase of 8.4%.
Demand remains high for rental flats in Switzerland
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More rental flats are once again being advertised on property portals in Switzerland. However, demand also remains very high.
One in five Europeans exposed to too much traffic noise
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More than one in five Europeans are exposed to unhealthily high levels of traffic noise, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA).
New living space through densification often comes at expense of the poor
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If demolition and new construction are carried out and tenants have to make way, low-income households are affected more often than average.
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The ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war has visibly eased tensions on the financial markets. The SMI, Switzerland's leading stock market index, has risen above the 12,000 point mark again.
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.
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Following the Roma in Lausanne and Romania
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The photographer Yves Leresche documented the lives of Roma beggars in Lausanne for five years the before the ban came into force in 2018.
Why living on the breadline is especially hard in Switzerland
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Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world. But high living costs put people on low income under huge pressure.
Vaud begging ban to come into force, court confirms
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A disputed law banning begging in canton Vaud will indeed come into force, the Swiss Federal Court has confirmed, rejecting an appeal.
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A move to ban begging in canton Vaud, now tied up in the courts, raises the question whether such a law undermines fundamental human rights.
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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.