Switzerland’s highest court has given the go-ahead for a vote in Basel City on whether to enshrine the basic rights of primates in the cantonal constitution.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/urs
Federal Court judges rejected an appeal by several private individuals who had argued that such a ballot was illegal. The individuals had claimed the cantonal initiative violated national animal rights legislation and campaigners had failed to inform citizens about the limited scope of their proposal.
The Lausanne-based court ruled that cantons are allowed to introduce regulations that are stricter than national law, according to statementExternal link published on Wednesday.
The judges pointed out that the constitutional amendment would only benefit primates held by state institutions but not the pharmaceutical companies or zoos.
The people’s initiative, launched by the Sentience PoliticsExternal link group in 2016, demands an amendment to the constitution for “a right to life for non-human primates and a right to physical and mental integrity”. Campaigners collected the necessary number of signatures for a public ballot.
A Basel court had dismissed a first complaint against the legality of the initiative in 2019.
Two years ago, Sentience also launched a nationwide initiative banning large-scale livestock production in Switzerland. A date for a vote on the issue is still to be set under the rules of the country’s direct democracy system.
The government has come out against the proposal, but it is preparing a constitutional reform in a bid to give animal welfare a boost.
First large-scale alpine solar plant approved in Switzerland
This content was published on
The approval was met with satisfaction by the project's organisers, but it also brings with it a certain amount of pressure.
Medieval squirrels may have ‘helped spread leprosy’
This content was published on
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
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
Animal cruelty cases rise in Switzerland
This content was published on
The number of criminal proceedings related to the mistreatment of animals has increased, according to a Swiss animal rights group.
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.