Parliament advocates separate criminal offense against stalking
Published: Monday, Dec 16th 2024, 20:30
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Parliament wants to better protect victims of stalking. Following the National Council, the Council of States has also approved the creation of a separate criminal offense against stalking. However, it deviated from the upper chamber's decision on two important points.
In the overall vote, the Council of States adopted the amendment to the law on Monday by 32 votes to 7 with one abstention. Next, the National Council will have to deal with the matter again.
The decree on the criminal offense of stalking was drafted by the National Council's Legal Affairs Committee (RK-N). According to the draft, anyone who persistently stalks, harasses or threatens someone, thereby restricting his or her freedom of life, could be punished with a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine.
The Council of States would like to change this definition. According to this, it should be sufficient that a behavior is capable of restricting someone's freedom to shape their life. It would not be necessary to prove that this effect is actually achieved for the victim in order to be punished.
Unlike the National Council, the Council of States, like the Federal Council, wants stalking to be prosecuted only at the request of the victim. In the summer session, the National Council spoke out in favor of prosecuting stalking in couple relationships ex officio.
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