She was sentenced in January 2014 to a fine of CHF500 ($563) for begging in Geneva on a public highway. The woman, who had no work and was not receiving social assistance, was then placed in pre-trial detention for five days for not paying the fine.
However, the Strasbourg-based court said on Tuesday that the sanction was not proportionate either to the aim of fighting organised crime or of protecting the rights of passers-by, residents and business owners.
“Placed in a situation of manifest vulnerability, the applicant had the right, inherent to human dignity, to be able to express her distress and try to remedy her needs by begging,” said the European court. It said Switzerland had violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights on protecting the right to respect for private and family life.
The court ordered Switzerland to pay the applicant €922 for non-pecuniary damage.
Begging is banned in most Swiss cantons, but associations working with the marginalised say bans are hitting the most vulnerable.
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Ban on begging hits Switzerland’s most vulnerable
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In one canton where begging has been outlawed, the authorities are satisfied with the results, but those affected are suffering great hardship.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
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Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
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The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
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Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
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In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
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According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
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The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
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Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
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Following the Roma in Lausanne and Romania
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The photographer Yves Leresche documented the lives of Roma beggars in Lausanne for five years the before the ban came into force in 2018.
Why living on the breadline is especially hard in Switzerland
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Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world. But high living costs put people on low income under huge pressure.
Vaud begging ban to come into force, court confirms
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A disputed law banning begging in canton Vaud will indeed come into force, the Swiss Federal Court has confirmed, rejecting an appeal.
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A move to ban begging in canton Vaud, now tied up in the courts, raises the question whether such a law undermines fundamental human rights.
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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.