http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Amnesty_casts_critical_eye_over_Sw itzerland.html?siteSect=105 <http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Amnesty_casts_critical_eye_over_S witzerland.html?siteSect=105&sid=7850433&cKey=1179928637000> &sid=7850433&cKey=1179928637000
Immigration issues Amnesty's main charge against Switzerland focused on its tough immigration laws. In September 2006 two-thirds of voters backed new laws on immigration and asylum, which the government said were necessary to make Switzerland less attractive and to curb abuses. "I don't think the Swiss are xenophobic but they don't agree with [asylum] abuse," Amnesty's refugee coordinator Denise Graf told swissinfo at the time. "This ended up being a major feature of the campaign and made the difference. But it's not really as big an issue as has been made out." Under the new asylum law, those who failed to produce valid travel and identification documents within 48 hours would be rejected. Asylum seekers who refused to leave the country could be detained for up to two years pending deportation. They would also lose the right to social security benefits and could only receive emergency aid of SFr960 ($780) a month. Minors could also be detained for up to one year - "in contravention of international standards", according to Amnesty's 2007 report, published on Wednesday. For its part, the Federal Migration Office strongly rejected the charges. Spokesman Dominique Boillat told swissinfo that Amnesty had, quite simply, got it wrong. "We reject the majority of Amnesty's findings because they are incorrect," Boillat said. "Amnesty seems to have forgotten that those who apply for asylum without the correct papers can benefit from... exceptions," he stressed. These included the opportunity to justify why they were applying without the required documents and to demonstrate they had been persecuted in their home country. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
