Former Swiss official loses appeal over Russia bear hunt trip
A former Russia specialist with the federal police, accused of accepting benefits during a bear hunting trip to Russia, has had his appeal rejected.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keysonte-SDA/swissinfo.ch/ilj
The appeals chamber of the Swiss Federal Criminal Court on Friday confirmed the original judgement that the former police official had accepted benefits on the excursion.
The 60-year-old took part in the trip in August 2016, accepting an invitation from the then deputy Russian federal prosecutor, with whom he was said to have “friendly contact” due to his frequent trips to Russia.
But the Bellinzona court decided against any form of extra punishment, saying that the man did not have to settle any more claims, as this had not been foreseen by the lower court. It also said there would be no criminal record entry, to help the man find employment (as he is over 55 and has not found a job since he lost his previous post).
Criticism
The news comes after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny criticised the Swiss Attorney General’s Office (OAG) for having ‘too close contact’ with the Russian Prosecutor General’s office in a newspaper interview last weekend.
One of the examples he cited was that of the former Russia specialist. He also took aim at Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.
The hunting case started in February 2017 when the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) opened a criminal investigation against the official. The charges of usurpation, abuse of office and corruption were later dropped due to lack of evidence. Only the repeated acceptance of benefits remained.
In the original judgement, the Federal Criminal Court ordered the former police agent to settle a compensation claim of CHF5,000 ($5,000) and received a 60-day suspended fine of CHF150.
The man’s defence centred on arguments that the attentions he accepted did not exceed the usual standard when working with the Russian justice system.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Swiss politician resigns after firing shots at Jesus picture
What can be done to protect biodiversity in your country?
Swiss voters are set to decide on a people’s initiative calling for better protection of ecosystems in the country. Have your say on the September 22 vote.
Meyer Burger replaces top management and cuts 200 jobs
This content was published on
The ailing solar company Meyer Burger is attempting to break free with a new restructuring program. The CEO is leaving the company. Numerous employees will also lose their jobs.
Swiss study: Kindergarten children calculate much better with their fingers
This content was published on
Counting with their fingers makes kindergarten children better at arithmetic according to a study by the University of Lausanne.
Ex-Swiss minister Berset takes up top post at Council of Europe
This content was published on
Former Swiss Federal Councillor Alain Berset, took over as Secretary General of the Council of Europe on Wednesday. He does not face an easy task.
This content was published on
Swiss researchers have discovered why certain organs age faster than others. The results were published on Tuesday in the scientific journal "Cell". The researchers hope to use their findings to slow down the ageing process.
FINMA imposes heavy penalties on private bank Mirabaud
This content was published on
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority has taken action against private bank Mirabaud & Cie,over money laundering.
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
Swiss federal official guilty of accepting benefits on bear hunt
This content was published on
Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court has found a former Russia specialist guilty of accepting benefits during a bear hunting trip to Russia.
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.