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CABINET MAINTAINS LINE OVER ANTI-RACISM LAW
Swissinfo, Switzerland
Oct 18 2006
The cabinet does not think the Swiss anti-racism law should be changed
- despite comments by the justice minister, Christoph Blocher, to
the contrary.
Blocher caused a storm of protest while on a trip to Turkey earlier
this month when he said he was intent on revising the legislation. On
Wednesday the cabinet said it regretted the incident.
"The cabinet remains opposed to a pure and simple abolition of the
anti-racism law," said Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger. "This text
will remain in force and will continue to be used."
He said it was legitimate to propose making modifications, but said
the cabinet regretted that the discussion had been started during a
visit abroad.
This gave the impression that Switzerland could be pressured into
changing its laws depending on certain circumstances, Leuenberger said.
Blocher, a leading light of the rightwing Swiss People's Party, had
remarked during his Turkish trip that part of the anti-racism law -
which was adopted in 1994 and includes sections aimed at preventing
revisionist views about the Holocaust - gave him a "headache".
The law has led to investigations in Switzerland against two Turks,
including one historian, for allegedly denying the 1915 Armenian
massacre.
Armenians say around 1.8 million of their people died as a result of
a forced mass evacuation by the Turkish government during the Ottoman
Empire. Turkey puts the figure closer to 200,000. Under Swiss law any
act of denying, belittling or justifying genocide is a violation of
the country's anti-racism legislation.
However, Blocher said at the time that it was ultimately up to the
government, parliament and possibly the population, to decide on
any changes.
Under scrutiny
According to Leuenberger, Blocher has told his cabinet colleagues
that a working group at his ministry was already re-examining the law,
in particular article 261bis, the cause of Blocher's headache.
The justice minister was ready to include a member of the Federal
Commission Against Racism in this work, Leuenberger added, refusing
to any further questions on the matter - which caused a media and
political outcry in Switzerland - saying the content of cabinet
meetings was confidential.
For his part, Blocher, speaking at a different media conference
earlier in the day, said he was simply waiting for the feedback from
his working group by the end of the year.
"It's about making the anti-racism law clearer, more secure and
unambiguous," he said.
swissinfo with agencies
KEY FACTS
Swiss anti-racism legislation was adopted in 1994, among other things
to prevent revisionist views about the Holocaust. In 2005, Swiss
authorities launched criminal investigations against the historian
Yusuf Halacoglu, the president of the Turkish History Organisation,
and the politician Dogu Perincek for allegedly making comments in
Switzerland denying the 1915 Armenian massacre. Armenians say around
1.8 million of their people were killed. Turkey disputes this, putting
the figure closer to 200,000. Under Swiss law any act of denying,
belittling or justifying genocide is a violation of the country's
anti-racism legislation.
Swissinfo, Switzerland
Oct 18 2006
The cabinet does not think the Swiss anti-racism law should be changed
- despite comments by the justice minister, Christoph Blocher, to
the contrary.
Blocher caused a storm of protest while on a trip to Turkey earlier
this month when he said he was intent on revising the legislation. On
Wednesday the cabinet said it regretted the incident.
"The cabinet remains opposed to a pure and simple abolition of the
anti-racism law," said Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger. "This text
will remain in force and will continue to be used."
He said it was legitimate to propose making modifications, but said
the cabinet regretted that the discussion had been started during a
visit abroad.
This gave the impression that Switzerland could be pressured into
changing its laws depending on certain circumstances, Leuenberger said.
Blocher, a leading light of the rightwing Swiss People's Party, had
remarked during his Turkish trip that part of the anti-racism law -
which was adopted in 1994 and includes sections aimed at preventing
revisionist views about the Holocaust - gave him a "headache".
The law has led to investigations in Switzerland against two Turks,
including one historian, for allegedly denying the 1915 Armenian
massacre.
Armenians say around 1.8 million of their people died as a result of
a forced mass evacuation by the Turkish government during the Ottoman
Empire. Turkey puts the figure closer to 200,000. Under Swiss law any
act of denying, belittling or justifying genocide is a violation of
the country's anti-racism legislation.
However, Blocher said at the time that it was ultimately up to the
government, parliament and possibly the population, to decide on
any changes.
Under scrutiny
According to Leuenberger, Blocher has told his cabinet colleagues
that a working group at his ministry was already re-examining the law,
in particular article 261bis, the cause of Blocher's headache.
The justice minister was ready to include a member of the Federal
Commission Against Racism in this work, Leuenberger added, refusing
to any further questions on the matter - which caused a media and
political outcry in Switzerland - saying the content of cabinet
meetings was confidential.
For his part, Blocher, speaking at a different media conference
earlier in the day, said he was simply waiting for the feedback from
his working group by the end of the year.
"It's about making the anti-racism law clearer, more secure and
unambiguous," he said.
swissinfo with agencies
KEY FACTS
Swiss anti-racism legislation was adopted in 1994, among other things
to prevent revisionist views about the Holocaust. In 2005, Swiss
authorities launched criminal investigations against the historian
Yusuf Halacoglu, the president of the Turkish History Organisation,
and the politician Dogu Perincek for allegedly making comments in
Switzerland denying the 1915 Armenian massacre. Armenians say around
1.8 million of their people were killed. Turkey disputes this, putting
the figure closer to 200,000. Under Swiss law any act of denying,
belittling or justifying genocide is a violation of the country's
anti-racism legislation.