Federal Court Court does not have to exclude media in rape trial

Accredited court reporters are allowed to attend the appeal hearing against a 23-year-old man who handed over a 12-year-old girl to his friends to be raped. The Federal Supreme Court has dismissed the young man's appeal.

The offences with which the appellant is charged took place between December 2017 and December 2019. He was a minor during some of the alleged offences, which is why the trial at first instance took place before the Winterthur district juvenile court.

In a ruling published on Thursday, the Federal Supreme Court stated that it was not apparent to what extent the admission of court reporters would run counter to the interests of the complainant. He had been of legal age for more than five years.

As was already the case at the first instance hearing, the journalists were subject to strict conditions to ensure the anonymity of the accused. In addition, they would only be permitted to attend during the questioning of the accused and the opening of the verdict.

SDA