The gold industry has come under close scrutiny from NGOs that are concerned of inhumane conditions at some mines in developing countries.
Keystone / Martin Ruetschi
Campaigning NGO Swissaid faces a lawsuit from gold refinery Valcambi after it refused to retract allegations of suspect dealings with a controversial supplier.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/mga
Valcambi has already lodged a criminal complaint with prosecutors in canton Bern, according to the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA. The refinery, based in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino, has now threatened a civil lawsuit.
Earlier this year, Swissaid published a reportExternal link accusing Valcambi of dealing with United Arab Emirates company Kaloti, which it said was a “very controversial player in the industry”. Valcambi has denied that it had been opaque in its business relationships, saying that it had complied with regulations designed to protect gold miners from exploitation.
The refinery threatened to sue Swissaid unless it retracted its report by the end of the month, but the NGO has declined to comply with the demand.
Swissaid stated on its websiteExternal link that it “stands by the research of its study and condemns the threat of a complaint, knowing that the industry shares its concerns. Our demand remains the same: Valcambi must commit itself to human rights in the gold mines.”
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Suicide capsule to be used in Switzerland this year, says euthanasia organisation
This content was published on
The organisation “The Last Resort” has confirmed that the suicide capsule Sarco is to be used in Switzerland. This should happen this year, it said.
Ukrainian children flown to Switzerland for cancer treatment
This content was published on
The Swiss air rescue service Rega flew two Ukrainian children with cancer to Switzerland from a hospital in Kyiv hit by Russian missiles.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
Swiss foreign minister briefs Russian counterpart on Ukraine peace summit
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York, during Russia's presidency of the UN Security Council.
Criminal proceedings filed over Swiss components in Russian weapons
This content was published on
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs has opened more than 50 administrative criminal proceedings for violations of sanctions against Russia.
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
Valcambi refinery denies sourcing ‘dirty’ gold from Dubai
This content was published on
The Swiss-based Valcambi refinery has rejected accusations about gold dealings with a controversial company in the United Arab Emirates.
How do you separate the good companies from the bad apples?
This content was published on
Our analysis of what the biggest global companies in Switzerland are up to. This week: dubious gold origins and vaccine deals.
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.