Swiss prosecutors set to go after Russian sanctions busting
22/03/2022 13:58
By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi
ZURICH, March 22 (Reuters) - Swiss federal prosecutors have
set up a task force to pursue potential sanctions-busting and
gather evidence of war crimes connected to Russia's invasion of
Ukraine.
Pressure has increased on Switzerland - a popular
destination for Moscow's elite and a holding place for Russian
wealth - to more quickly identify and freeze assets of hundreds
of sanctioned Russians. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N2VO3QN
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said on Tuesday it
had established a task force to examine potential sanctions
violations generally outside its remit and to help pursue other
potential crimes.
"At present, the focus is primarily on the areas of
international criminal law and the Embargo Act," it said in a
statement, referring to Switzerland's sanctions law.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday urged
Switzerland to crack down on Russian oligarchs he said were
helping wage war. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2VM0AU
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the
agency in charge, has been swamped with asset reports and faced
criticism for being underprepared and understaffed. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N2VO3QN
"Switzerland is doing more than one might have thought, but
it is still doing too little," Fabian Molina, a member of
parliament for the Social Democrats, told Reuters. "SECO has
always been very cautious about sanctions. The department is
also very small and was poorly prepared."
Pursuing sanctions violations and ordering seizures does not
usually fall under the OAG's remit, but it said it was able to
investigate violations if SECO requested it.
"The OAG stands ready to act quickly and efficiently if
provided the jurisdiction," it said.
The task force is also looking to help gather evidence as
the International Criminal Court investigates possible war
crimes in Ukraine. It could open its own proceedings should any
suspects enter Switzerland. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2VL3F0
The OAG said it had suspended requests for legal cooperation
from and to Russia, and was considering extending its efforts to
look at economic crimes and other violations committed in
relation to the war.
(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; additional reporting by
Silke Koltrowitz, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
((brenna.neghaiwi@thomsonreuters.com; +41 58 306 77 35;))