UN experts alarmed by criminal sanctions after Gaza protest at Swiss university

United Nations human rights experts have expressed alarm over the Swiss federal technology institute ETH Zurich pursuing criminal prosecution of students who protested its partnerships with Israeli institutions. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Ten UN experts have expressed their alarm at the trial a few months ago of activists who had taken part in a sit-in protest for Gaza in May 2024 at ETH Zurich. On Tuesday in Geneva, they denounced the criminalisation of fundamental freedoms. Around 70 students had called on ETH Zurich to withdraw from any research ties with Israel's military-industrial apparatus. The Swiss publicly funded university lodged a complaint against the protesters for trespassing. Until October 2025, ETH Zurich’s website stated that no end-use controls existed over knowledge exchanged through fundamental research collaborations, and that the potential military application of its work could not be ruled out. While Switzerland introduced ...