City of Geneva first to sign maritime human rights declaration
Matteo Salvini has threatened legal action after a ship recently offloaded 47 migrants in Lampedusa despite his explicit ban.
Ansa
Geneva has become the first city to officially sign the Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea that aims to raise awareness on the violation of human rights in international waters.
Mayor of Geneva Sami Kanaan signed the document on Tuesday as gesture against the policy of Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini to criminalise the rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.
The declarationExternal link was put together by lawyers, representatives of UN agencies and members of civil society in Geneva and officially launched on Tuesday. It calls for human rights and international laws relating to them to be applicable in international waters as on land. In addition to the welfare of migrants, the declaration supports the sustainable use of the seas, the protection of biodiversity and the importance of the seas for world trade
Kanaan said that the declaration “will be considered in the coming years as a fundamental initiative”. He also hoped that other cities would also sign up and support the declaration.
In recent years, the city of Geneva has on several occasions taken the opposite view of federal authorities on international issues. In December last year, the Swiss government rejected calls to allow the migrant rescue ship Aquarius to fly under the Swiss flag.
“The City of Geneva, as a global economic hub, the headquarters of the United Nations and an important flag state [for marine vessels], has a specific and direct interest in the guarantee and protection of human rights on land and at sea,” said an official statement.
More
More
Has the UN lost the refugee debate in Europe?
This content was published on
People continue to die crossing the Mediterranean Sea but immigration is falling down the political agenda in Europe. Can the UN reclaim the debate?
Have you heard something about Swiss diplomacy that you’d like us to fact check?
Not all information circulating about Switzerland’s foreign relations is accurate or well understood. Tell us what you'd like us to fact check or clarify.
Gerhard Pfister to step down as Swiss Centre Party leader
This content was published on
Swiss Centre Party president Gerhard Pfister will step down next summer, the party announced in a press release on Monday.
SWISS crew member ‘died as a result of oxygen deprivation’
This content was published on
SWISS crew member reportedly died of brain damage resulting from lack of oxygen, following an emergency landing last month.
Zurich flights cancelled due to snow and freezing rain
This content was published on
Snowfall and freezing rain severely disrupt air traffic at Zurich airport over the weekend, with more than 50 flights being cancelled.
Terror threat rising in Switzerland, says Attorney General
This content was published on
The number of active terrorism investigations in Switzerland has doubled since 2022, according to the country’s top prosecutor.
Credit Suisse Nazi ties ‘ran deeper than thought’: media report
This content was published on
Credit Suisse is alleged to have withheld details of its historic links with World War II-era Nazi clients, says the Wall Street Journal.
Swiss man faces life imprisonment after Australia drugs arrest
This content was published on
Swiss man, 21, accused of attempting to smuggle 25 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of CHF4.5 million into Australia.
Swiss insurer Helvetia says 500 jobs affected by cost-cutting
This content was published on
Some 500 jobs, including 200 to 250 in Switzerland, are affected by the new operational efficiency measures recently announced by insurer Helvetia.
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
Group with Swiss support seeks to block migrants
This content was published on
The group’s spokesman is a former lieutenant in the Swiss army, 32-year-old Jean-David Cattin of Geneva, and it has received some financial backing from the anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party, Swiss newspaper Blick reported on Sunday. Their goal is to block European aid organisations and others from coming to the aid of migrants, stating on their…
Amnesty wants secure path to Europe for migrants in Libya
This content was published on
On Thursday, the Swiss section of the international NGO criticised the CMCGExternal link for claiming to want to protect migrants detained in Libya under inhumane conditions while denying them safe passage to Europe with aid of the Libyan coast guard. Since the beginning of the year, around 14,000 migrants have been rescued at sea and…
This content was published on
After a spike in 2016, asylum applications in Switzerland have been in steady decline. Migrants are seeking now seeking alternative routes.
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.