Syrian woman wins compensation for stillbirth on Swiss train

The pregnant Syrian woman finally collapsed on the platform of the Domodossola train station, just over the Italian border from Switzerland User philstephenrichards via Flickr Creative Commons

A Syrian woman who experienced a miscarriage while being deported by train to Italy in 2014 has been awarded CHF12,000 ($12,400) in damages by a Swiss court for the neglect she experienced during her transfer.

The Syrian woman had been intercepted at the Franco-Swiss border, while trying to reach France from Italy with about 30 other asylum seekers. The group was first transferred to Vallorbe in canton Vaud and then to the southern Swiss town of Brig. They waited two-and-a-half hours before being taken by train to the Italian border town of Domodossola.

During this transfer, the pregnant woman complained of pain and bleeding, problems that rapidly worsened. Border guards refused medical help. The Syrian woman gave birth to a stillborn child in a hospital on arrival to Italy.

On Thursday, the Federal Administrative Court declared that the woman should be awarded CHF12,000 in damages for the negligent bodily harm she had suffered. The Federal Department of Finance had previously refused to pay any compensation.

The woman and her family had sought CHF295,000 in total compensation.

Four border guards have already been sanctioned for the incident. The head of three border guards had a suspended prison sentence reduced to 150 days imprisonment with a fine of CHF150 ($166) for negligent bodily harm as well as for failure to comply with service regulations. The three guards were found guilty of the same charges in 2021 and given suspended fines. Judges ruled they should have shown moral courage and called an ambulance against the wishes of their superior.

The Syrian woman later received asylum in Italy along with her family.