Diocese of Basel has preliminary investigations carried out externally
Published: Monday, Nov 6th 2023, 14:30
Updated At: Tuesday, Nov 7th 2023, 00:54
Zurück zu Live Feed
The diocese of Basel has commissioned an independent law firm to carry out preliminary investigations under canon law and to examine applications for satisfaction. According to the diocese, these proceedings will now be conducted externally. This should ensure greater independence than before.
The law firm Kellerhals Carrad will carry out the canonical preliminary investigations and the examination of applications for satisfaction from mid-November, the diocese of Basel, based in Solothurn, announced on Monday. The cooperation agreement has been signed.
In future, these two procedures would be fully clarified and carried out externally in the diocese of Basel. The conclusions would ultimately be reported to the independent external coordinator.
According to the press release, Bishop Felix Gmür is active twice in the ecclesiastical proceedings. On the recommendation of the coordinator, he initiates the canonical preliminary investigation by decree. Once this has been completed, he also concludes it by decree and submits the entire dossier with his vote to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Aiming for cultural and structural change
The bishop documents these steps to the independent external coordinator. The diocese of Basel is convinced that "with combined efforts, the expected cultural and structural change will be possible".
According to the diocese of Basel, an independent, external lawyer has been responsible as a coordinator since 2017. She is the official reporting office for sexual assaults in the diocese of Basel. She accepts reports of suspected sexual assault from victims, confidants, confidants, witnesses and accused persons.
Ten cantons belong to the diocese of Basel: AG, BE, BL, BS, JU, LU, TG, SH, SO and ZG. With more than one million faithful, it is the largest diocese in Switzerland.
©Keystone/SDA
German 
English 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic