AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2016/17

ased definition of rape, and liability for
negligence for sexual offences. 1
ARMS TRADE
The Inspectorate of Strategic Products (ISP)
− the national authority charged with the
control and compliance of defence material
and dual-use products − cleared the sale by
the Saab Group of the advanced air radar
system GlobalEye to the United Arab
Emirates. Concerns raised by journalists
alleging a lack of due diligence prior to the
2010 sale of the Saab 2000 airborne early
warning and Erieye control system to Saudi
Arabia, were left unanswered as the ISP’s
records remained classified. Concerns
remained regarding the possible use of these
technologies by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition
in the conflict in Yemen to commit or
facilitate serious violations of international
human rights and humanitarian law.
1. Sweden: Submission to the UN Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women (EUR 42/3305/2016)
SWITZERLAND
Swiss Confederation
Head of state and government: Johann Schneider-
Ammann (replaced Simonetta Sommaruga in January)
A new law on asylum introduced free legal
counselling for asylum-seekers. However,
concerns remained regarding the respect of
the rights of refugees and migrants.
Authorities pushed back thousands of
asylum-seekers to Italy. In September, the
new surveillance law was accepted in
a referendum.
REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS
In June, a new law on asylum, which had
been adopted in September 2015, was
accepted by referendum and partly entered
into force. The law introduced some positive
measures, including free legal counselling for
asylum-seekers as of 2019, and the legal
duty to take into account the needs of
vulnerable asylum-seekers.
In the second half of the year, civil society
organizations reported that authorities had
pushed back to Italy several thousand
asylum-seekers, including several hundred
unaccompanied minors; some of them had
close family members living in Switzerland.
In July, the Federal Administrative Court
concluded that the State Secretariat for
Migration had not effectively investigated the
case of an asylum-seeking Nigerian woman
who was allegedly trafficked into Switzerland.
Asylum-seeking children in reception
centres continued to be denied access to
education. On 1 October, a new law imposing
a duty on cantonal authorities to ensure their
right to education entered into force.
Concerns remained regarding the restrictions
imposed on the right of freedom of
movement of asylum-seekers in most federal
reception centres.
POLICE AND SECURITY FORCES
In July, the National Commission for the
Prevention of Torture raised concerns about
police using disproportionate force in some
cantons during operations to deport migrants.
Concerns remained regarding the
attempted deportations of asylum-seekers
with severe mental illnesses. In June,
authorities in Neuchâtel unsuccessfully tried
to deport a Kurdish asylum-seeker to
Bulgaria despite his earlier attempt to commit
suicide. In September, two Syrian women
asylum-seekers, who had been admitted to a
psychiatric hospital in Schaffhausen,
attempted suicide shortly after police had
removed them from the hospital to deport
them. The Zurich Public Prosecutor Office
opened an investigation into the events
shortly after.
DISCRIMINATION
In May, the Lower Chamber of
the Federal Parliament (National Council)
voted in favour of a bill allowing secondparent
adoption for same-sex couples.
In July, the prohibition of full-face veils
entered into force in the Ticino canton. In
348 Amnesty International Report 2016/17