Zurich District Court: Businessman Found Guilty of Coercion
The Zurich District Court has found a businessman from Winterthur guilty of coercion. He had threatened a journalist in an attempt to prevent a critical article from being published in *Der Beobachter*.
The Zurich District Court has found a businessman from Winterthur guilty of coercion. In June 2008, he had threatened a journalist in an attempt to prevent the publication of a critical article in *Der Beobachter* about health insurance, which was also intended to shed light on the activities of the Winterthur-based insurance entrepreneur.
When the businessman noticed while proofreading the article that it also contained critical remarks about his company, he sent a fax to the journalist asking him not to publish the article. Otherwise, he would bill him for expected damages of approximately ten million francs. The defendant then sought out the journalist at his workplace in Zurich and later at his home. When, in his attempts to pressure the journalist, he also targeted the journalist’s wife and children, the journalist ultimately decided not to publish the report out of fear for his family’s safety.
When the businessman noticed while proofreading the article that it also contained critical remarks about his company, he sent a fax to the journalist asking him not to publish the article. Otherwise, he would bill him for expected damages of approximately ten million francs. The defendant then sought out the journalist at his workplace in Zurich and later at his home. When, in his attempts to pressure the journalist, he also targeted the journalist’s wife and children, the journalist ultimately decided not to publish the report out of fear for his family’s safety.
Suspended fine
The court found that the 57-year-old had other options available to him to prevent the planned article—such as seeking a super-provisional injunction—and sentenced him to a suspended fine of 20 daily rates of 50 francs. At the January hearing before the Zurich District Court, the prosecution had sought an unconditional sentence of 60 daily rates of 150 francs. The defendant’s attorney argued for an acquittal.
