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Switzerland Universal Periodic Review of Switzerland Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council Human Rights Watch is concerned about a number of practices which in Switzerland have led to serious instances of human rights violations that erode the implementation of international standards of human rights protection in the country. Human Rights Watch is particularly concerned about the use of “diplomatic assurances” against torture and ill-treatment and the recently adopted Law on Asylum. May 5, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Reply Letter to the Swiss Government Regarding the Swiss Government’s Use of Diplomatic Assurances Against Torture for Extraditions to Turkey Human Rights Watch remains extremely concerned about the efforts of the Swiss government to extradite to Turkey a number of Kurds currently resident in Switzerland. A letter from the President of the Swiss Confederation, Micheline Calmy-Rey, suggests that the Swiss government has departed from its previous principled position against reliance on diplomatic assurances against torture and ill-treatment and now seeks to carve out an exception to justify the use of unreliable “no torture” promises specifically in the extradition context. June 28, 2007 Letter Sri Lanka and Burundi Human Rights Defenders Win 2007 Martin Ennals Award Human Rights Watch, as one of the members on the Jury of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA), announced today that the 2007 Laureates are: May 4, 2007 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Survey of Cluster Munitions Produced and Stockpiled Briefing Paper Prepared for the ICRC Experts Meeting on Cluster Munitions This presentation is an introduction to the wide variety of cluster munitions currently available. The functional characteristics of these munitions as well as estimates of the numbers in current stockpiles are included in the presentation. April 25, 2007 Background Briefing Letter to the Swiss Government Regarding Diplomatic Assurances I am writing to express Human Rights Watch’s deep concern at reports that the government of Switzerland intends to rely upon diplomatic assurances against torture and other ill-treatment from the government of Turkey to effect pending extraditions of Kurds wanted on terrorism charges in that country. December 15, 2006 Letter Switzerland: Vote to Follow Basic Principles of Refugee Protection An Open Letter to Swiss Citizens on the Law of Asylum Last December’s modifications to the national asylum law represent a dramatic retreat from the international standards Switzerland accepted when it ratified the Refugee Convention. We are calling on Swiss citizens to consider the following basic principles of refugee protection, due process and fundamental fairness when they vote on the referendum on the Law on Asylum (LAsi). September 23, 2006 Written Statement Printer friendly version Switzerland: Voters Should Reject Asylum Restrictions New Law Would Place Unreasonable Barriers on the Right to Seek Asylum Swiss voters should reject proposed changes to the Swiss law on asylum (“LAsi”) in Sunday’s referendum (September 24) because the measure runs counter to the commitments Switzerland has made under international refugee law, Human Rights Watch said today. Today, Human Rights Watch released a seven-point analysis of the proposed law’s shortcomings as measured against international legal standards for the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. September 23, 2006 Press Release Printer friendly version U.N. Rights Body Must Fight to Restore Credibility With a membership that includes governments responsible for crimes against humanity, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights meeting in Geneva next week must take dramatic steps to restore its sinking credibility, Human Rights Watch said today. March 8, 2005 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version U.N.: Good Diagnosis, but Poor Prescription More Needed to Restore Legitimacy of Commission on Human Rights A report on the future of the United Nations, ordered last year by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and officially released today, accurately diagnoses the sorry state of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights but proposes an inadequate cure, Human Rights Watch said today. December 2, 2004 Press Release Printer friendly version Rights of Non-Citizens Human Rights Watch Submission to CERD In this memorandum sent to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination prior to its discussion on the rights of non-citizens, Human Rights Watch outlines its concerns regarding discrimination against selected categories of non-citizens in the United States since September 11. In the memorandum, Human Rights Watch urges the Committee to adopt a General Comment that, among other things, 1) expresses concern about counterterrorist measures that distinguish between particular groups of non-citizens and 2) resolves whether distinctions among non-citizens on the basis of religion can constitute prohibited discrimination when religious communities are closely identified with particular countries, ethnic groups, or races. March 25, 2004 Memorandum Printer friendly version WTO Summit: Don't Undercut AIDS Drug Access Trade ministers at the upcoming WTO summit in Doha, Qatar should abandon threats of sanctions against countries trying to obtain medicines for health emergencies such as HIV/AIDS, Human Rights Watch said today. The WTO summit will take place from November 9 to 13. November 7, 2001 Press Release Printer friendly version Human Rights Watch Letter to the Trade Minister of Switzerland The WTO ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar provides an ideal occasion for Switzerland to make a new commitment to multilateral and bilateral trade policy consistent with concern for the global crisis of HIV/AIDS. We are writing to urge your leadership toward a commitment from the Swiss government to allowing all countries suffering from HIV/AIDS' devastation to make full use of TRIPS exceptions in their pursuit of access to affordable anti-AIDS drugs for their populations. November 7, 2001 Letter Switzerland: Child Soldiers Global Report 2001 From the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers There are indications of under-18s in government armed forces as voluntary recruitment is possible from 17. The Swiss Government has strongly supported the "straight-18" position in international fora. There have been reports of child recruitment in Switzerland by armed opposition groups from other countries, namely, the KLA for the conflict in Kosovo. June 12, 2001 Multi Country Report Switzerland: Landmine Monitor Report 2000 Key developments since March 1999: Switzerland has served as co-chair of the SCE on Victim Assistance. Switzerland will host the Second Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in September 2000. In 1999 Switzerland provided US$5.8 million for mine action programs. Switzerland signed the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 24 March 1998. Before this, national legislation banning antipersonnel landmines (AP mines) had already been enacted by the Swiss Parliament on 13 December 1996, which entered into force on 1 April 1998. August 1, 2000 Multi Country Report
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