Member for

12 years 5 months
Year
Report data for country
Cases Perpetrators were Sentenced
36
Cases Prosecuted
14
Cases Recorded by Police
161
Explanation to the total figures recorded
Figures consist predominantly of crimes of incitement to hatred and crimes involving discrimination. Only hate crimes committed in public are included in the number presented here.
NPC
Description Type
Developments
Organization Report

In addition to recording crimes falling under the Swiss Penal Code provision on discrimination (Art. 261bis StGB), which only covers hate crimes committed in public, Switzerland has also begun monitoring hate crimes that are not committed in public (e.g. racially motivated offences committed in private spaces). This recording is being piloted and is currently optional. Therefore, the data gathered cannot yet be used for hate crime reporting.

NGO
Description Type
Reports
Organization Report

The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians reported the vandalization of a Church.

Description Type
Reports
Organization Report

The GRA Foundation against Racism and Anti-Semitism reported one physical assault, in which the assailant tried to remove a woman's headscarf, two incidents of threats and one incident of graffiti.

Bias Motivation
Description Type
Reports
Organization Report

The Intercommunity Coordination against Anti-Semitism and Defamation (CICAD) reported a physical assault against a Jewish man, five incidents of threats, three incidents of damage to property and three incidents of graffiti.

The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities and the GRA Foundation against Racism and Anti-Semitism reported two physical assaults, one of which targeted a man, visibly identifiable as Jewish, six incidents of threats and five incidents of graffiti.

Bias Motivation
Description Type
Reports
Organization Report

The Consultation Network for the Victims of Racism reported 20 physical assaults, 28 threats and three incidents of damage to property.

The GRA Foundation against Racism and Anti-Semitism reported the stabbing of a black man, causing serious injury, an assault by a group against a group of students, causing serious injury to one of the students, one physical assault against a train conductor and one threat.

The Intercommunity Coordination against Anti-Semitism and Defamation (CICAD) reported a series of incidents in which cars were covered in swastikas. The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities and the GRA Foundation against Racism and Anti-Semitism reported an incident of graffiti.

Description Type
Reports
Organization Report

Jehovah's Witnesses – Switzerland reported one incident of graffiti on a place of worship.

Overview of incidents
Mandated bias motivation
Attacks Against People - Violent Attacks
23
Attacks Against People - Threats
29
Attacks against property
5
Mandated bias motivation
Attacks Against People - Violent Attacks
3
Attacks Against People - Threats
11
Attacks against property
11
Mandated bias motivation
Attacks Against People - Violent Attacks
1
Attacks Against People - Threats
2
Attacks against property
1
Attacks Against People - Violent Attacks
0
Attacks Against People - Threats
0
Attacks against property
2
IGO
Description Type
Developments
Organization Report

In its fifth report on Switzerland, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) recommended that the Swiss authorities improve their system for recording and monitoring violent incidents in order to obtain more reliable statistics on the racist, homophobic or transphobic motivations of offences.

Description Type
Developments
Organization Report

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) recommended the incorporation of a criminal code provision ensuring that racist motivation constitute an aggravating circumstance allowing for more severe punishment.

Holy See
Description Type
Reports
Organization Report

The Holy See reported an arson attack on a Catholic church. The Swiss authorities reported that the investigation did not reveal any anti-religious bias motivation.

ODIHR Recommendations

ODIHR observes that Switzerland has not reported on hate crimes separately from cases of hate speech and/or discrimination.