Swiss protest court ruling reducing rapist’s sentence (Archive)
BERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of people protested Sunday in front of a Swiss appeals court that had last month reduced the prison sentence of a rapist, arguing that the rape lasted only 11 minutes and that the victim had not been severely injured, local media reported.
The mainly female protesters in front of the Basel courthouse held up banners and shouted “11 minutes are 11 minutes too much!” They decried the court’s ruling which had lowered the 33-year-old defendant’s prison sentence from 4 years and three months to three years, the online news site 20minuten.ch reported.
In last month’s ruling, the judge also said the female rape victim had sent out “certain signals,” Swiss media reported. A spokeswoman for the court refused to further explain that statement by the judge.
The rape took place last year in February after a visit to a nightclub. The woman was raped by the 33-year-old and his 17-year-old companion, who is currently still being tried in a Swiss juvenile court. Neither the victim’s nor the accused men’s identities were revealed.
A lawyer for the victim said she was shocked by the appeal court’s verdict, which appeared to partially blame the victim for the rape.
The judge had announced the verdict in the courtroom last month but a written ruling will only be published in a few weeks, the court said.
================================================================================================================================================================
Hundreds protest after Swiss rapist's sentence is reduced by the female judge because the sex assault 'only lasted 11 minutes' (Archive)
Hundreds of protesters have demonstrated outside a Swiss court after a judge reduced a rapist's prison sentence, ruling that the victim's 11-minute ordeal was 'relatively short.'
The attack was carried out by two Portuguese nationals, aged 17 and 32, on a 33-year-old woman outside the entrance to her flat in the city of Basel in February last year.
The youth has not yet been sentenced by the juvenile court, but the older perpetrator, named only as Joao P., had his jail term cut from 51 months to 36 months on appeal, meaning he will be released within days for time already served.
Factors which went to that judgment, including that the woman 'sent out signals' and had been 'playing with fire' before the assault, have incensed the public.
Around 500 mainly female demonstrators stood outside the courthouse on Sunday to observe a symbolic 11-minute silence in solidarity with the victim, holding up banners which said: '11 minutes are 11 minutes too much!'
Others held signs which referenced the judgment, saying 'there is no such thing as a short rape' and that it was the judiciary which was 'sending out the wrong signals.'
The rape took place after the woman met the two men in a nightclub in the city.
Justice Liselotte Henz found the older man was only at 'moderate fault.'
She explained that the rape had been 'relatively short' and the victim had not sustained any permanent physical injuries.
The judge also claimed the victim had 'sent signals out to the men,' referring to her earlier behaviour in the nightclub when she was seen going into the toilet with another man.
Justice Henz suggested the woman had been 'playing with fire' in the lead up to the attack outside her apartment.
A lawyer for the victim said she was shocked by the appeal court's verdict.
The victim's lawyer said: 'This is disappointing and incomprehensible.
'A "no" is a "no" and must be accepted - regardless of the victim's lifestyle. I will first wait for the written verdict and then continue looking.'
The perpetrators are likely to be deported from Switzerland once their sentences are finalized.
The reduced sentence has been widely condemned by politicians on the left and right.
Marcel Columb, of the Basel Social Democrats, tweeted: 'A four year sentence was already mild, but now to imply the woman was complicity due to her behaviour to someone uninvolved with the crime is unbearable. What a sign for all victims of sexualised violence.'
Jeromie Repond, from the right-wing Swiss People's Party, asked 'What kind of society do we live in?'
Fellow SPP member, Pascal Messerli, said the sentence was not enough, arguing the victim would have to live with the ordeal her entire life.
================================================================================================================================================================
Picture of Judge.
================================================================================================================================================================
patriots.win
The folks on the donald having a good laugh.
BERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of people protested Sunday in front of a Swiss appeals court that had last month reduced the prison sentence of a rapist, arguing that the rape lasted only 11 minutes and that the victim had not been severely injured, local media reported.
The mainly female protesters in front of the Basel courthouse held up banners and shouted “11 minutes are 11 minutes too much!” They decried the court’s ruling which had lowered the 33-year-old defendant’s prison sentence from 4 years and three months to three years, the online news site 20minuten.ch reported.
In last month’s ruling, the judge also said the female rape victim had sent out “certain signals,” Swiss media reported. A spokeswoman for the court refused to further explain that statement by the judge.
The rape took place last year in February after a visit to a nightclub. The woman was raped by the 33-year-old and his 17-year-old companion, who is currently still being tried in a Swiss juvenile court. Neither the victim’s nor the accused men’s identities were revealed.
A lawyer for the victim said she was shocked by the appeal court’s verdict, which appeared to partially blame the victim for the rape.
The judge had announced the verdict in the courtroom last month but a written ruling will only be published in a few weeks, the court said.
================================================================================================================================================================
Hundreds protest after Swiss rapist's sentence is reduced by the female judge because the sex assault 'only lasted 11 minutes' (Archive)
Hundreds of protesters have demonstrated outside a Swiss court after a judge reduced a rapist's prison sentence, ruling that the victim's 11-minute ordeal was 'relatively short.'
The attack was carried out by two Portuguese nationals, aged 17 and 32, on a 33-year-old woman outside the entrance to her flat in the city of Basel in February last year.
The youth has not yet been sentenced by the juvenile court, but the older perpetrator, named only as Joao P., had his jail term cut from 51 months to 36 months on appeal, meaning he will be released within days for time already served.
Factors which went to that judgment, including that the woman 'sent out signals' and had been 'playing with fire' before the assault, have incensed the public.
Around 500 mainly female demonstrators stood outside the courthouse on Sunday to observe a symbolic 11-minute silence in solidarity with the victim, holding up banners which said: '11 minutes are 11 minutes too much!'
Others held signs which referenced the judgment, saying 'there is no such thing as a short rape' and that it was the judiciary which was 'sending out the wrong signals.'
The rape took place after the woman met the two men in a nightclub in the city.
Justice Liselotte Henz found the older man was only at 'moderate fault.'
She explained that the rape had been 'relatively short' and the victim had not sustained any permanent physical injuries.
The judge also claimed the victim had 'sent signals out to the men,' referring to her earlier behaviour in the nightclub when she was seen going into the toilet with another man.
Justice Henz suggested the woman had been 'playing with fire' in the lead up to the attack outside her apartment.
A lawyer for the victim said she was shocked by the appeal court's verdict.
The victim's lawyer said: 'This is disappointing and incomprehensible.
'A "no" is a "no" and must be accepted - regardless of the victim's lifestyle. I will first wait for the written verdict and then continue looking.'
The perpetrators are likely to be deported from Switzerland once their sentences are finalized.
The reduced sentence has been widely condemned by politicians on the left and right.
Marcel Columb, of the Basel Social Democrats, tweeted: 'A four year sentence was already mild, but now to imply the woman was complicity due to her behaviour to someone uninvolved with the crime is unbearable. What a sign for all victims of sexualised violence.'
Jeromie Repond, from the right-wing Swiss People's Party, asked 'What kind of society do we live in?'
Fellow SPP member, Pascal Messerli, said the sentence was not enough, arguing the victim would have to live with the ordeal her entire life.
================================================================================================================================================================
Picture of Judge.
================================================================================================================================================================
Female judge reduces sentence for rapist, because the rape 'only' lasted 11 minutes... - TheDonald
The Donald is a never-ending rally of patriots dedicated to the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
patriots.win
The folks on the donald having a good laugh.
