No legal immunity for parliamentarian

A rightwing politician suspected of involvement in a kidnapping case can be investigated by the justiceauthorities after parliament refused to grant him immunity from prosecution.

Pirmin Schwander, a lawyer and member of the House of Representatives for the Swiss People’s Party, allegedly granted financial help to a mother and her 18-months old daughter to escape the foster care authorities last year.

The woman fled Switzerland and was arrested in neighbouring France several months later.

A parliamentary committee on Monday confirmed that Schwander could not benefit from immunity, as there is no direct link between his political mandate and his alleged crime.

Prosecutors currently examine whether he has to stand trial for aiding and abetting kidnapping.

It is rare to parliament to deny immunity for prosecution to one of its members. There are at least five cases where the politicians could count on legal protection over the past few years.

In 2012, Christoph Blocher, the strongman of the People’s Party, was denied immunity from prosecution in a case of suspected breach of banking secrecy. However, the proceedings were abandoned last December.