"Maudet case: UBI upholds complaint against "Rundschau

Geneva State Councilor Pierre Maudet (FDP) filed a complaint against the "Rundschau" report. In the vote, the complaint was approved by five votes to three, the UBI announced on Friday. SRF had broadcast the contribution on October 3, 2018 in the political magazine "Rundschau". According to the introduction, it was about "the Maudet file and what that has to do with the Swiss hub for dirty gold".

The background was Maudet's trip to Abu Dhabi in 2015, which is being investigated by the public prosecutor's office of the Canton of Geneva against the FDP politician. The film report focused on the import of gold from the United Arab Emirates via Geneva Airport.

The UBI had to assess whether the audience was able to form its own opinion in accordance with the principle of objectivity. Since serious allegations were made against Pierre Maudet and these were connected with the criminal proceedings currently underway against the politician, the editorial team was subject to heightened duties of care, in particular to ensure the presumption of innocence.

After a controversial discussion, a majority of the commission had come to the conclusion that the "Rundschau" audience was unable to form its own opinion of the report. Several aspects were decisive, which significantly influenced the overall impression. For example, Maudet was not able to take a direct position on the vehement accusations of a criminal law expert.

The information on the awarding of a contract for ground handling at the airport was incomplete, as it was limited exclusively to aspects incriminating Maudet. According to the UBI, only people who tended to be critical of the government council had their say in the report. The politician's point of view had been insufficiently expressed overall and the non-verbal form of the report had had a tendentious character. (SDA)