| Author (Person) | Geiser, Urs |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Swissinfo.ch |
| Series Details | 09.06.13 |
| Publication Date | 09/06/2013 |
| Content Type | News |
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Switzerland voted overwhelmingly in a referendum on the 9 June 2013 in favour of tightening the country's asylum law. The controversial decision came with refugee applications having risen to their highest level in more than a decade. Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said that voters’ approval of the latest asylum law reform paved the way for the introduction of faster and more humane asylum procedures. She pledged Switzerland would uphold its humanitarian tradition. Three out of four voters came out in favour of keeping in place restrictive measures implemented in September 2012 and valid for three years. The new rules include the scrapping of asylum requests at Swiss embassies abroad and of refusing in principle a safe haven in Switzerland to conscientious objectors. As part of the revised legislation, the federal authorities had greater powers in asylum matters over the country’s largely autonomous 26 cantons. The amendment also provided for the creation of national centres, as well as for sites housing asylum seekers considered troublemakers. Asylum laws have been tightened more than ten times over the past three decades. |
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| Source Link | http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_news/Minister_pushes_for_more_and_fair_asylum_reforms.html?link=tdj&cid=36094414 |
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| Countries / Regions | Switzerland |
