Rudolf Elmer at a press conference in Zurich 19 January
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Rudolf Elmer, the former Bank Julius Baer employee who famously appeared with Julian Assange of WikiLeaks two days before his trial in Zurich for theft and threatening his former employer, has had one of his appeals turned down, his lawyer has told Swiss media in a press release.
He was convicted but given a suspended sentence 19 January for threats and theft, a lighter sentence than the prosecutor had demanded. He was then re-arrested within minutes on suspicion of breaking Switzerland’s banking secrecy laws, with which he was charged 22 January.
The appeal that was turned down 16 February was for the 19 January judgement, which did not cover banking secrecy.
He appealed, 27 January, his 22 January remand in custody for breaking bank secrecy laws by handing information to tax authorities, and this remains pending.
Elmer’s attorney, Ganden Tethong, noted in a press release 22 January that:
“The parties were informed of the court’s ruling this afternoon. In its decision, the court held that:
- there is probable cause to arrest Mr Elmer
- there is danger of collusion; in conclusion
- it granted remand.”
Switzerland’s law forbids bankers from handing data on client accounts to tax authorities unless done so at the client’s request.
Related stories in GenevaLunch:
Julius Baer nemesis reborn as Assange pal (17 January 2011)Rudolf Elmer arrested again over latest WikiLeaks handover (19 January 2011)
Panay Monitor Lizard (Varanus mabitang) © Tim Laman
Gland, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – A major new assessment of the threats to the world’s biodiversity shows that the continuing encroachment on many species’ habitats is increasing their vulnerability. The 2009 edition of world’s most comprehensive list of life under threat of extinction, the Red List of Threatened Species, was published Tuesday 3 November. The Red List is published yearly by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in Gland, near Geneva.
“The scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis is mounting,” says Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group.
Lausanne/Sion, Valais, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Valais police are investigating an incident in which a man pulled a knife on a youth Friday night 11 September at the Sion train station. The man was buying a ticket at a machine when a group of seven youths aged between 17 and 20 approached him, acting threateningly, he told police. He pulled out a pocket knife, and in the skirmish that followed, one of the youths was hurt, and taken to hospital, according to the Valais police.
Late Saturday night 12 September, a young American student in Lausanne was attacked by two young men and four young women as he was out near Parc Montbenon. Parc Montbenon was the scene 1 September of a knifing on a young Algerian man who later died of his injuries.
Related: 20Minutes
Background: “Non-Swiss juveniles kill youth, send police to hospital in separate crimes” 07 September 2009, GenevaLunch
