Cameroon presidential staff lose appeal for assaulting journalist
A Geneva court has rejected the appeal of six members of Cameroon president Paul Biya’s security detail who were convicted for assaulting a Swiss journalist during the president’s visit last year.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jdp
Robert Assaël, the lawyer of one of the defendants, confirmed reports of the judgement in local Geneva media on Tuesday. He added that the Geneva appeals court had violated international law with the judgement as the president’s staff enjoy diplomatic immunity, preventing them from criminal prosecution.
“It doesn’t matter if the head of state was on a private visit, was inside the hotel and was not approached [by the journalist].”
The journalist from Swiss public television, RTS, was assaulted by the president’s entourage in front of the InterContinental Hotel, where Biya was staying during a visit to Geneva in June 2019.
The journalist said members of Biya’s security team took his bag containing a mobile phone and wallet. The seized items were later returned. He sustained minor injuries.
‘Unacceptable’
The incident took place during a demonstration outside the hotel where Biya was staying by a group of protesters. The assault prompted Switzerland to summon the ambassador of Cameroon to Bern, where he was told that “such incidents are unacceptable, and that freedom of the press is protected and must be respected”.
The six employees were initially arrested in June 2019 and given suspended prison sentences. In July, Geneva prosecutors found the individuals (five men and one woman) guilty of coercion, damage to property and illegal appropriation. The Geneva judiciary found no justification for the response by Biya’s team.
According to reports in the French-language paper La Tribune de Genève, the defendants plan to appeal to the federal court.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
Top politician tells ‘corrupt’ Eurovision to stay away from Bern
This content was published on
A social media post by the president of Bern’s cantonal government critical of the Eurovision Song Contest has created waves and will be discussed in the cantonal parliament.
Swiss centre records over 200 victims of human trafficking
This content was published on
Last year 317 people took part in a protection programme run by the Specialist Unit for Trafficking in Women and Women’s Migration (FIZ) in German-speaking Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.
Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment
This content was published on
Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva
This content was published on
The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
This content was published on
A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
This content was published on
Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
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
Violent scenes outside Geneva hotel of Cameroon president
This content was published on
Swiss police have used force to disperse around 250 people who were demonstrating against the presence in Geneva of Cameroonian President Paul Biya.
Cameroon’s Biya: Why the Swiss won’t stop his Geneva stays
This content was published on
Reports alleging Cameroon’s president Paul Biya runs his country from a Geneva hotel raise questions whether official Switzerland can intervene.
Cameroon’s president leaves Geneva after spate of protests
This content was published on
Cameroon president Paul Biya, whose presence in a luxury Geneva hotel caused protests and some diplomatic upheaval, has left the city.
Cameroon president’s staff convicted for alleged journalist assault
This content was published on
The arrests took place on Tuesday, according to a statementExternal link from canton Geneva’s justice department, before on Wednesday four of the staff were given a four month suspended prison sentence, and two were given a three month suspended sentence. Geneva prosecutors found the individuals (five men and one woman) guilty of coercion, damage to…
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.