Sri Lankan unable to pay fine dies in Swiss prison custody
The man was cleared by the doctor to spend time in prison.
Keystone/ Valentin Flauraud
A 42-year-old Sri Lankan man died in a detention centre in Lucerne on Friday evening. He had to spend two days in custody because he was unable to pay a fine.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/ac
The police noticed that the man was in physical distress via surveillance cameras. He died on the spot despite an attempt at immediate resuscitation, Lucerne’s public prosecutor’s office revealed on MondayExternal link. The investigating authorities blame “acute” health problems for his death.
Before being detained, the Sri Lankan was examined by a doctor. He was given the green light to serve his short prison sentence, according to the public prosecutor’s office. An autopsy was ordered to clarify the cause of death.
“In its judgment, the court shall impose an alternative custodial sentence of at least one day and a maximum of three months for the event that the fine is wilfully not paid.” states Article 106 of the Swiss criminal codeExternal link.
More
More
Why most of Switzerland’s prisoners are not Swiss
This content was published on
Almost three-quarters of all detainees in Swiss prisons are of foreign origin, a study shows. An analysis of the factors behind the numbers.
Switzerland’s neighbours are ‘not role models’ in fiscal policy, says finance minister
This content was published on
Swiss finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter defended the country's compliance with the debt brake at a meeting of her party, the Radical-Liberals, on Saturday.
Pope Francis praises Swiss Guards’ patience with pilgrims
This content was published on
During a private audience on Saturday, Pope Francis praised the Swiss Guards for their "great patience" with pilgrims who visit the Vatican.
Swiss designer Kevin Germanier to design outfits for Eurovision presenters
This content was published on
Designer Kevin Germanier will dress the team of presenters at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place in May in Basel.
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter makes official visit to Austria
This content was published on
Karin Keller-Sutter, who took over the rotating Swiss presidency this year, has made her first official visit abroad as president to Austria.
This content was published on
The boss of Swiss Post, Roberto Cirillo, is stepping down at the end of March after six years in the job, the company announced on Friday.
This content was published on
The name and logo of the former Credit Suisse headquarters at Paradeplatz 8 in Zurich's financial centre were officially replaced by those of UBS on Friday.
Outgoing Swiss federal police chief warns of insufficient resources
This content was published on
The outgoing director of the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol), Nicoletta della Valle, has warned that officers, prosecutors and investigators in Switzerland have insufficient resources to do their work.
Swiss university inaugurates Europe’s most powerful centrifuge
This content was published on
The federal technology institute ETH Zurich has inaugurated Europe's most powerful geotechnical centrifuge. Researchers use the instrument to simulate the effects of natural hazards.
Swiss film industry reports successful year in 2024
This content was published on
Swiss films did well in cinemas in 2024, recording over 907,000 admissions, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reports. They accounted for almost 9% of all films shown last year in Switzerland.
Glencore and Rio Tinto held talks on mining’s biggest-ever potential merger, say reports
This content was published on
The Swiss-based mining and commodities group Glencore and the British company Rio Tinto reportedly held early-stage talks last year about combining their businesses.
This content was published on
Photographer Patrick Gilliéron Lopreno visited prisons in French-speaking Switzerland, where he spent two years researching for an exhibition.
This content was published on
When compared with many other countries, Switzerland tends to hand down shorter sentences, particularly for violent crime.
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.