Permission for secret service agents to hack computers

Voters look set to approve a law allowing the Swiss intelligence service to tap private emails and monitor other cyberspace activities to prevent terrorist attacks. Critics have waed of arbitrary surveillance, but they are likely to suffer a clear defeat in Sunday’s referendum.

An alliance of civil society groups and mainly leftwing parties is challenging a parliamentary decision from last year. Opponents of the law argue the privacy of citizens is at risk if the agents of the defence ministry’s secret service are given additional powers.

They fear the authorities will collect huge amounts of data proactively, which could lead to a ‘Big Brother’ state surveillance system similar to the files scandal exposed in 1989 at the end of the Cold War era.

Critics say iocent citizens could again become the target of the secret service agents acting on vague hints and infringing basic rights.

Under the new legal amendment, the intelligence service can bug private property and phone lines as well as wiretap computers under certain conditions.

Combat terrorism

A majority of parliament, however, passed the reform last year saying the additional powers were necessary to combat terrorism and prevent the trade in arms.

Supporters also point out that three different institutions – the defence minister, the entire seven-member cabinet and the Federal Administrative Court – have to give the green light to open proceedings against a suspect.

The govement expects about ten cases a year on average.

Defence Minister Guy Parmelin hopes that Switzerland will be less dependent on information exchange with foreign secret services. The law will also pave the way for Switzerland to participate in a plaed European database on suspected terrorists.

Last year, the Federal Intelligence Service obtained about 9,000 files, but passed on about 4,500 data sets to agencies in other countries.

September 25 vote

There are three issues on ballot sheet.

A people’s initiative by trade unions to increase old age pension benefits and a separate proposal by the Green Party to promote a sustainable economic system.

Leftwing parties and representatives of civil society are challenging a decision by parliament to boost the powers of the intelligence service to prevent terrorist attacks.

It is the third of four sets of nationwide votes this year.

Terrorist fears

The campaign in the run-up to Sunday has been relatively low-key.

Political experts say fears of terrorism following a series of attacks in neighbouring France and Germany over the past few months have marked the political climate in Switzerland.

Using social media for their campaign, opponents were struggling to win over the older generation. It has also been noted that both sides remained stuck in their ideological positions, leaving little room for debate.

With the political left unable to stand united on the issue, their chances of wiing the referendum were compromised from the start, according to analysts.

Latest opinion polls give supporters of the law an 18% lead over their opponents, but the number of citizens still undecided was on the increase three weeks ago.

swissinfo.ch

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