Having a say: rights and obligations · Laws and prohibitions
What is prohibited and what is protected
Topic
The Federal Constitution protects the dignity and the life of every person. That is why torture and any cruel or inhuman treatment are prohibited. The death penalty is also prohibited. Other punishments are allowed, for example a fine, prison or community service. The police may not sentence anyone to prison. Anyone who does not agree with a punishment can let a court decide.
Freedom of opinion is broad. You may criticise the Federal Council, take part in demonstrations and wear religious symbols. But there are limits. It is prohibited to publicly make false claims about a person that damage their reputation. It is also prohibited to publicly demean people because of their origin or religion. That is discrimination and a criminal offence.
Privacy is protected. You may only publish private information about a person if they agree or if a law allows it. In Switzerland you may only be married to one person at a time. Anyone who has two marriages commits a criminal offence. Living together unmarried, on the other hand, is allowed.
Swiss citizens may not be expelled from Switzerland. They may only be extradited to another state if they themselves agree. There is an exception for trials before international criminal courts: Switzerland can also hand over its own citizens to them.
Key terms
- Folterverbot
- Prohibition of torture: nobody may be tortured or treated inhumanely.
- üble Nachrede
- Defamation: publicly claiming something that damages a person's reputation; this is a criminal offence.
- Datenschutz
- Data protection: protection of a person's private information against misuse.
- Auslieferung
- Extradition: a state hands a person over to another state for criminal proceedings.
Exam questions on this topic
- What is prohibited in Switzerland?Correct answer: A, You may not publicly spread false claims about people.
- What violates personal privacy or data protection?Correct answer: D, When private information about individual people is published without a legal basis or without the person's consent.
- What does the Swiss Federal Constitution prohibit?Correct answer: C, No one may be tortured.
- What is prohibited in Switzerland?Correct answer: D, publicly insulting other people because of their origin or religion
- Which punishment does the Federal Constitution prohibit?Correct answer: C, the death penalty
- May Swiss citizens be extradited to other countries?Correct answer: D, In principle, no. Exceptions apply for trials before international courts.
- What is prohibited in Switzerland? It is prohibited …Correct answer: C, for a man to be married to two women at the same time.