Intel law

Swiss alliance seeks less intrusive intelligence service

Parliament approved the law last year giving the Swiss intelligence service greater powers to monitor private communications in Switzerland, but critics have pushed through a referendum to challenge the decision by collecting at least 50,000 signatures within 100 days.

The change in law undermines people’s freedom and democracy by giving intelligence services too much power to monitor private communications over the internet and telephones or to bug private homes, the alliance argues. The change in law also makes it possible that someone Googling certain key words or terms might come to the attention of authorities.