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S U B S C R I B E
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Concern rises over new Geneva law curbing protests
A 100,000 franc fine and a possible five year ban—just some of the possible consequences of holding a demonstration in canton Geneva after a vote on Sunday tightened protest laws. Fifty-four percent of Genevans voted for the new restrictions which involve giving a month’s notice before holding a demonstration and facing a ban on holding demos in the future if things get out of hand. The UN—which has its European headquarters in the city—has openly criticized the changes saying they “unduly restrict the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, which are core in any democracy.” WRS’s Dave Goodman spoke to Michael Ineichen from the International Service for Human Rights who supports the UN’s stance on the law and began by asking him to outline his concerns:
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Comments
Total comments: 2 | Add to the discussion.
It is no surprise that they voted to curb, if not stop any freedom of speach, it goes well with all the other nasty, racist,bigoted posters and laws that they slyly pass under the guise of security, should we not forget that through generations people have died and fought to have such freedoms of expression,
where would the arab spring be without their chance to put feet on the ground and protest for change, imagine if they had to give a months notice to do this.
This is just another cowardly swiss law to control people.
Lest it not be forgot that in the mid 1930s the army shot dead a large number of protesters at plainpalais who where protesting against fascism while the rest of the free world where ready to defend the liberty of many,
not forgeting also the Swiss did very well out of the second world war.
I hope that this law is overturned and a sense of reason is returned.
Today I personally watched the Geneva riot police gas a handful of Ashraf (Iranian) protestors at the UN Plaza. These people have suffered a great deal under the Iranian regime and now with the Iraqi authorities. They have been holding very peaceful, daily vigils at the UN plaza for almost a year now. I see them daily. Today they were gassed and dragged about. A few of them where on the ground grasping for air, screaming for help with terribly burning eyes and vomiting uncontrollably while the riot police was looking on emotionless. There were medical staff there to assist and “comfort” them with water but not much else. It was an eerie scene to watch such peaceful protestors violently gassed with some sort of chemical spray, which should be used only in case of extreme violence to control large crowds. I could not believe my eyes. I thought, what has become of this police force using such violence in front of the UN building. No matter what their justification was, it was certainly very heavy handed and totally out of proportion. I felt sick in my stomach…
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