Switzerland: Adoption of prisoner of conscience: the case of Gregoire Fiaux

Index Number: EUR 43/001/1994
Date Published: 14 January 1994
Categories: Europe And Central Asia, Switzerland

Gregoire Fiaux, a 23-year-old laboratory assistant, began a prison sentence of eight months for refusing to perform military service. He reported for military recruit school training at a barracks in Biere on 15 July 1991, but within a few days concluded that further military service was incompatible with his conscientiously held beliefs. After refusing to take part in shooting exercises on 17 and 23 July, he was sent home. On 19 March 1992 a military divisional tribunal sentenced him to eight months' imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay trial costs, and the costs of a pre-trial psychiatric examination. He is a prisoner of conscience.