Switzerland intensifies international cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes
Bern, 14.02.2024 - Switzerland wants to play an even greater role in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes. Corinne Cicéron Bühler, Switzerland’s ambassador to the Netherlands, signed the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention in The Hague on 14 February. It obliges states to provide mutual legal assistance in the investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Convention closes a loophole in international criminal law to prevent the perpetrators of the worst crimes from going unpunished.
On 26 May 2023, 53 states, including Switzerland, adopted the text of a multilateral convention on cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of crimes under international law in Ljubljana. In particular, the convention obliges states to explicitly criminalise all crimes under international law and to provide mutual legal assistance in the investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. In the area of international criminal law, universal jurisdiction is also to apply among the contracting states, meaning that any state party has jurisdiction to prosecute international crimes regardless of whether the state has a direct connection with the crime or not.
Convention closes loophole in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes
In the case of international crimes, the alleged perpetrators, victims, witnesses or evidence are often located in several countries. Exchanging information is therefore particularly important to investigating and prosecuting such crimes. The Ljubljana-The Hague Convention is the first multinational instrument regulating intergovernmental cooperation in the prosecution of international crimes. In signing the agreement, Switzerland is helping to close a current loophole in the law on international criminal prosecution. It will prevent the perpetrators of the worst crimes from going unpunished.
Corinne Cicéron Bühler, Swiss Ambassador to the Netherlands, signed the Ljubljana-The Haag Convention in The Hague on 14 February. There is no need for Switzerland to enact further legislation as a result. The content of the Convention corresponds to Swiss mutual legal assistance law as well as several international mutual legal assistance conventions to which Switzerland is already party. The Ljubljana-The Hague Convention must be approved by Parliament before it can be ratified and come into force.
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Maha Meier, Federal Office of Justice, T +41 58 462 96 91, maha.meier@bj.admin.ch
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