Case management by the Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) between 2016 and 2020 was “deficient and obsolete”, according to its supervisory body.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/ac
An analysis of 6,400 non-active cases revealed that three out of four proceedings were closed without the defendants having been heard, the supervisory authority said in a press release on Tuesday. In the case of criminal investigations, a hearing was held in only one in ten proceedings.
Even in the case of indictments, the OAG does not systematically conduct hearings, according to the supervisory authority. As a result, some of the defendants are referred to the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona without having been heard by the prosecuting attorneys.
In addition, an analysis of the various divisions in the office showed that in the area of “international criminal law”, no proceedings were opened in 97% of cases. In the economic crime division, almost 90% of proceedings were closed or dismissed.
An analysis of the length of proceedings revealed that the “state protection division” closed 90% of its cases within six months, while the economic crime division took at least three years to close more than half of its cases.
Stefan Blättler, the current Swiss attorney general, took office in 2021 after a turbulent period under his predecessor Michael Lauber from 2012 to 2020. Blättler was recently re-elected by parliament for the period 2024 to 2027.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
November 24, 2024 votes: the results from across Switzerland
Should Switzerland take measures to support its industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
This content was published on
Electric cars are still a rarity in Switzerland. Currently, 4.1 percent of registered cars run exclusively on electricity. There are some major differences between the cantons, as the Energy Reporter from Energie Schweiz and Geoimpact shows.
Black Friday gets off to a slow start in Swiss shops
This content was published on
Black Friday has established itself as one of the biggest shopping events in Switzerland in recent years. On Friday, however, business was rather slow, especially in the stores.
This content was published on
The invasive Japanese beetle has been discovered in Valais, southwestern Switzerland. The canton now wants to stop the spread of the voracious plant pest.
Court overturns minimum wages in Zurich and Winterthur
This content was published on
The administrative court of canton Zurich has annulled the ordinance on the introduction of a municipal minimum wage in the Swiss cities of Zurich and Winterthur. It said the ordinances violated cantonal law.
Nominal Swiss wages up 1.5% in 2024, says latest estimate
This content was published on
Wages in Switzerland are likely to have risen slightly more in 2024 than previously assumed. However, some of this is likely to be eaten up by inflation.
CERN ends cooperation with institutes from Russia and Belarus
This content was published on
The cooperation agreement between CERN and Russia and Belarus will be terminated on Saturday, as previously announced. The move is a reaction to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
Swiss private bank Lombard Odier charged with serious money laundering
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has charged the private bank Lombard Odier and a former employee with serious money laundering.
This content was published on
The Swiss Air Force wants to halve the number of its demonstrations and exhibitions to save money. Participation abroad is planned only in exceptional cases from the beginning of 2025.
Updated free trade deal between Switzerland and China set for 2025
This content was published on
The enhanced free trade agreement between Switzerland and China is set to enter into force in 2025. This is the assumption of parliamentarian Thomas Aeschi, president of the EU-EFTA delegation.
‘Project Merciless’: how Qatar spied on the world of football in Switzerland
This content was published on
Qatar orchestrated a major intelligence operation against FIFA officials helped by ex-CIA agents. Switzerland was a key theatre of operations.
New Swiss attorney general faces huge re-organisation task
This content was published on
The election of Stefan Blättler by parliament ends a difficult search for a new attorney general, a powerful position in Switzerland’s justice system.
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.