Tag Archives: prison-inmates

The Swiss get it. Unlike the rest of Europe. That's because it is a genuine democracy and not run by hardcore Marxist multiculturalists. Swiss voters have accepted a referendum proposal for the automatic expulsion of non-Swiss citizens for certain crimes, an exit poll suggests. Some 53% agreed that those convicted of crimes ranging from murder to benefit fraud should be deported, the poll for state broadcaster SF1 said. The Swiss People's Party, which drew up the measure, said immigrants “should respect the rules of this country”. But opponents said it was another example of increasing xenophobia. The right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), was behind last year's referendum that imposed a ban on the building of Islamic minarets. That decision was condemned by human rights groups and foreign governments. The SVP says immigrants to Switzerland are disproportionately responsible for crime. It points to the fact that more than 60% of prison inmates do not have Swiss nationality. But opponents say the measures go too far. The children of immigrants do not automatically get Swiss citizenship, so the rule would mean sending some people who were born and brought up in Switzerland to countries they know nothing of. Convicts would serve their sentence in Switzerland first and then be deported without appeal. The Swiss government believes mandatory deportation could violate Switzerland's obligations under international law not to send people to countries that practise torture or execution. It advised voters to reject the proposal, and it put forward an alternative system which would allow deportation for certain crimes, but which would assess cases individually. The exit poll suggested that had been defeated. added by: crystalman