Counter-terrorism
The Federal Act on Police Counter-Terrorism Measures came into force in 2022. Since then, the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) and the cantons have made ten requests for measures to be carried out, four of which were made in 2024.
The aim of police counter-terrorism measures (CTMs) is to protect the population from potential terrorists. fedpol can order measures at the request of the cantons or the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS). The cantons are responsible for implementing the measures. CTMs can be applied before criminal proceedings, after the execution of a sentence, under certain circumstances during criminal proceedings – as a supplement to coercive measures – and during the execution of a sentence.
fedpol can impose reporting and interview requirements, a ban on contact, an order restricting movement to or from a particular area, a ban on leaving the country, and a house arrest order; electronic surveillance and mobile phone tracking are among the other options.
The following statistics first appeared in the 2022 Annual Report.
| Requests from the cantons and the FIS | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requested by the FIS | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Requested by the cantonal authorities | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Number of cases | 1 | 5 | 4 |
CTMs* in 2024 in accordance with the Internal Security Act (ISA)
| Requests | Measures ordered | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Obligation to report and participate in interviews (Art. 23k ISA) | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Contact ban (Art. 23 ISA)** | 0 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Inclusion and exclusion (Art. 23m ISA) | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ban on leaving Switzerland (Art. 23n ISA) | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| House arrest (Art. 23o et 23p ISA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic surveillance and mobile phone tracking (Art. 23q ISA) | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
* Several measures are possible in any individual case. These figures reflect the situation on 31 December 2024. Not all requests had been dealt with by then, either because:
- the decision was still under review;
- the decision had been taken, but was not yet legally binding (as an appeal was still possible or was ongoing);
- the issuing authority had withdrawn its request;
- the ordered measure was being challenged on appeal.
** In 2024, the number of contact bans was higher than in previous years. This can be explained by the fact that in two cases nine contact bans were applied for. These measures aim to restrict as far as possible relationships that could encourage or facilitate radicalisation.
| Implementation of measures | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appeals | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Prosecutions for breaches of measures | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Terrorist activities
The law defines terrorist activity as ‘efforts to influence or change the institutional framework that are to be achieved or facilitated by committing or threatening to commit serious criminal offences or by spreading fear and terror’ (available in German, French and Italian).
Measures for minors
Children and young people can also be receptive to radical ideologies and become involved in terrorist activities. fedpol is well aware of this from experience in Switzerland and abroad. CTMs can be ordered against children aged twelve and older, and thus also serve to protect children and young adults. The prevention measures in the Second National Action Plan to Prevent and Counter Radicalisation and Violent Extremism are intended to stop radicalisation and allow the authorities to intervene before young people commit an offence.
Conditions for measures
When it comes to prevention, other cantonal measures, whether social, integrative or therapeutic, always take precedence – as do cantonal measures for the general prevention of threats and measures based on the Criminal Procedure Code. In the case of minors, educational or child protection measures must always be taken before CTMs, which may only be ordered once these other measures have been exhausted or have proven ineffective.