Former SVP cantonal councillor from Schwyz stands before Zurich High Court
Published: Wednesday, Sep 4th 2024, 04:50
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Former Schwyz cantonal councillor Bernhard Diethelm has to answer to the Zurich High Court today, Wednesday. The Zurich District Court sentenced the former SVP politician to a conditional prison sentence in July 2023.
The Zurich public prosecutor in charge accused Diethelm of assaulting a 26-year-old prostitute during an agreed meeting. The prosecutor demanded a prison sentence of four years for this at the district court.
However, the district court acquitted the now 41-year-old of several charges, such as endangering life. What remained was a conviction for assault and possession and distribution of animal pornography.
The man from Schwyz received a conditional prison sentence of eight months. The court also imposed a conditional fine of 120 daily rates of CHF 100 each. Both the public prosecutor and Diethelm took the case to the High Court.
No longer running in cantonal council elections
Diethelm's political career is probably definitely over because of the criminal proceedings. After his conviction in the first instance, he suspended his party membership under pressure from the SVP and initially continued as a non-party member of the Schwyz parliament.
In November 2023, however, he announced that he would no longer be standing for election in March 2024. Diethelm had been a member of the Schwyz Cantonal Council since 2016.
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