Amendment of the asylum law
Federal Council wants to regulate competencies in asylum centers more precisely
Violent attacks by security guards on asylum seekers have repeatedly occurred in asylum centers in Switzerland. Now the federal government wants to make operations safer.
Published: 15 minutes ago
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The federal government is planning measures at legislative level to make operations in the federal asylum centers safer.
The federal government is planning measures at legislative level to make operations in the federal asylum centers safer. Former federal judge Niklaus Oberholzer (70) recommended in autumn 2021 to regulate more precisely who may apply disciplinary measures and on what basis.
The Federal Council now wants to meet this demand by amending the Asylum Act, as it announced on Wednesday at the opening of the consultation. Among other things, it should now be explicitly regulated in which areas the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) can use police coercion or take police measures to ensure security and order and how the competences in the security area can be transferred to security service providers.
In addition, the disciplinary system is to be regulated at the legislative level. Finally, the possibility of temporarily detaining a person for a maximum of two hours to avert a serious and immediate danger is to be newly regulated in the law. The Federal Council speaks of “transparent and comprehensive regulations”. The consultation on the corresponding changes will last until May 3, 2023.
Security incidents down
The allegations, which became public in the media at the beginning of May 2021, were steep: private security guards are said to have repeatedly used violence against asylum seekers in the federal asylum centers. There was talk of provocations and beatings. Asylum seekers are also said to have been injured.
The SEM then initiated an external investigation. 14 security guards were suspended. Former federal judge Oberholzer came to the conclusion in his report that violence was not being used systematically in the federal asylum centers. Nevertheless, he recommended several measures. The SEM has already been able to implement some of these at company level or with changes to regulations.
Apparently, the measures are working: in the past year, the number of aggressions, threats, harassment and other incidents has fallen in the federal asylum centers. Although the absolute number increased last year, it fell by almost half compared to the number of overnight stays. The SEM confirmed a corresponding report by Tamedia titles on Wednesday. (SDA)