Swiss People’s Party sues crossword setter over clue
The setter of a crossword that appeared in Swiss newspaper Le Nouvelliste and the person responsible for distributing it appeared before the Sion district court on Tuesday. They are charged with defaming the Valais section of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party.
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A clue in the Valais paper on November 18, 2023, was: “Swiss political party – racist, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-feminist, anti-ecological, anti-poor, nationalist.” The answer: UDC (the French abbreviation for the Swiss People’s Party).
The Valais section of the People’s Party took exception to this and demanded, and received, an apology from Le Nouvelliste.
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However, on November 24, 2023, the Valais section of the People’s Party lodged a complaint against the crossword setter, and on January 27, 2024, it lodged another criminal complaint against the person in charge of the crossword.
The procedure was extended on May 15, 2024, following a police hearing of the defendants, who had referred to the Swiss People’s Party as “fascist” and “supremacist”.
The two men face a 30-day suspended fine.
Translated from French by DeepL/ts
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