Switzerland: Paul Biya’s bodyguards guilty of assaulting Swiss journalist

The bodyguards claimed that they had immunity as they were protecting the president, but the judges rejected their argument and ordered them to pay fines.

This incident is not only a violation of the journalist’s rights and dignity, but also a reflection of the repressive and violent nature of Biya’s regime. Biya, who has been in power since 1982, is Africa’s oldest and second longest-serving leader. He has faced numerous accusations of human rights abuses, corruption, and electoral fraud. He has also been criticized for his frequent and lengthy absences from the country, often spending time in luxury hotels in Switzerland and other European countries.

Biya’s bodyguards attacked Adrien Kreuze, a journalist for the Swiss public broadcasting network, on June 26, 2019, when he was covering a demonstration outside a Geneva hotel where Biya was staying. The protesters were denouncing Biya’s rule and demanding his resignation. The bodyguards injured Kreuze and took his phone and other items. The Swiss foreign ministry summoned Cameroon’s ambassador over the incident and launched a criminal investigation.

The first trial, which took place in February 2020, found the six bodyguards guilty of coercion, damage to property, and theft. They were sentenced to suspended fines ranging from 4,000 to 10,500 Swiss francs (about $4,400 to $11,500). The bodyguards appealed the verdict, claiming that they had immunity as they were acting in the interest of the president’s security. However, the appeal court upheld the guilty verdicts on December 13, 2021, and reduced the fines slightly.

Robert Assael, a lawyer for one of the six, still insisted that his client had been protecting the president. He said there had been violence involving Biya opponents in Switzerland and Germany in the weeks ahead of the incident. He also said that the Swiss authorities had failed to provide adequate security for Biya and his entourage.