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Lawyers representing an Iranian-Swiss activist have formally condemned the Swiss government for its failure to arrest Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, during his recent visit to Geneva.
Despite a criminal complaint filed on February 23—just one day before the minister addressed a United Nations disarmament conference—authorities allowed the official to depart Swiss soil.
The legal team, led by William Bourdon and Philippine Vaganay, argues that Switzerland breached its duty to act under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows for the prosecution of crimes against humanity regardless of where they occurred.
The accusations against Gharibabadi are severe, linking him to the violent suppression of Iranian demonstrators following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.
The legal filing asserts that the deputy minister participated in and covered up a campaign of murder, arbitrary detention, and systemic physical and sexual violence.
The complainant, a naturalised Swiss citizen who spent a decade in Iranian prisons for political activism, seeks to hold the official accountable for these alleged atrocities under international law.
A central point of contention is the timing of the visit, which took place amid high-stakes nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran in Geneva.
Although these talks ultimately failed to prevent the current regional war involving Israel and the U.S., the lawyers contend that diplomatic context cannot justify legal inaction.
They emphasised that Gharibabadi was not a member of the official negotiating delegation, meaning he should not have been shielded from arrest while present in a country that has recognised universal jurisdiction since 2011.
In response to the outcry, the Swiss federal public prosecutor’s office confirmed it received the complaint and stated that it is being reviewed according to “standard procedure.”
However, the legal team maintains that the credibility of international justice is at stake.
They warned that if such mandates remain a mere formality rather than a tool to fight impunity, the principle of universal jurisdiction risks being permanently devalued on the global stage.
