December 1, 2025|
AI
|3 days agoSwiss Crossword Setter Acquitted of Defamation for 'Racist, Xenophobic' UDC Clue
A court has acquitted a crossword setter for Le Nouvelliste newspaper, ruling that a clue describing the Swiss People's Party (UDC) with a list of negative attributes was an expression of opinion protected by free speech.
AI
Generated IllustrationKey Takeaways
AI
- A crossword setter for Le Nouvelliste and the person responsible for its distribution were acquitted of defamation by the Sion district court.
- The case was initiated by the Valais section of the Swiss People's Party (UDC) over a crossword clue published on November 18, 2023.
- The court ruled that the crossword clue constituted an expression of opinion, which is protected by freedom of expression.
- The Valais UDC had previously demanded and received an apology from Le Nouvelliste following the publication of the crossword.
- The legal proceedings were extended in May 2024 after the defendants allegedly referred to the UDC as 'fascist' and 'supremacist' during a police hearing.
They Said
"Swiss political party – racist, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-feminist, anti-ecological, anti-poor, nationalist."