Saudis hold a Swiss business man

A Swiss not allowed to leave are about two and a half years in Saudi Arabia. The Department of foreign Affairs (EDA) grant to the concerned Swiss citizens will be uninterrupted consular protection, since it learned of his arrest in September 2016, writes the Federal Council in his published on Thursday in response to a parliamentary procedural request. It was in close contact with the person Concerned and his representatives.

At every reasonable opportunity to discuss the EDA the Dossier also with the Saudi authorities and to the humanitarian Dimension of the case, it means more. Last updated on may 20, was. March happen.

To long-term imprisonment

CVP-Councillor Anne Seydoux (JU) had Asked. According to their data, is a graduate of the ETH Lausanne, who also has a Lebanese passport. The manufacturer of ceramic products, have supervised the construction and operation of factories in several countries, including Saudi Arabia and the small state of Ras Al-Khaimah, a part of the United Arab Emirates.

for a Long time, he was also adviser to the Emir of Ras Al-Khaimah. These have been taken from him but the trust and the several processes against him sought, without minimal procedural safeguards. Local courts had sentenced the entrepreneur to be met several years in prison, writes Seydoux.

passport revoked

The Affected person was able to first escape the prison. The Emir of Ras Al-Khaimah have, however, obtained in September 2016, the arrest of the Swiss citizen in Saudi Arabia to delivery purposes. After nearly a month the man had been released, but he was forbidden to leave Saudi Arabia. His passport had been confiscated.

Seydoux accuses the Swiss authorities have to be cautious in responding. They also criticized that, since then, two Federal councillors had travelled to Saudi Arabia, in order to intensify economic relations with this country.

Possible visit Mason

another visit – that of President Ueli Maurer – will continue to be tested, such as the Federal Council writes in response to another proposal. The decision depends on further developments, he says.

Asked had Sibel Arslan (Green/BS). You criticized in your proposal that Switzerland has in March a statement in the UN human rights Council is not connected. 36 countries had criticized Saudi Arabia, in an unusually clear Form.

interests weighed

Arslan wanted to know by the Federal Council, which is why Switzerland stood apart, and what role would be played by economic interests in this decision. The Federal Council responds, he will be evaluated in the case of multilateral initiatives, each of whose contents, the behavior of other States, as well as its own interests.

In the case of Saudi Arabia, have expressed the Switzerland, even before the joint statement, among other things, to the case of the murdered journalist Jamal Kashoggi. The Federal Council have condemned the murder publicly and in a comprehensive and transparent education ago....

Further, the Federal Council writes that his policy is towards Saudi Arabia, both from the aspects of economic cooperation, as well as the human rights and peace political interests. He stresses that since the end of October 2018 no war material to Saudi Arabia will be exported. (fal/sda)

Created: 16.05.2019, 17:12 PM