Press Council rejects SDC complaint against Weltwoche
On Friday, the Press Council issued a statement regarding a complaint filed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The SDC had lodged a complaint against *Die Weltwoche*’s coverage in connection with a series of articles on Swiss aid to Sri Lanka following the tsunami.
On Friday, the Press Council commented on a complaint from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The SDC had intervened against Weltwoche's reporting in connection with a series of articles on Swiss aid in Sri Lanka following the tsunami. The Swiss Press Council ruled that Weltwoche had not breached any journalistic obligations because it had not consulted Deza representatives before publication despite serious accusations.Weltwoche published a series of articles in July and August last year in which it took a critical look at Swiss aid in Sri Lanka after the tsunami. Among other things, the paper accused Swiss aid money of being siphoned off into corrupt projects.
In its complaint, the SDC criticized the fact that its director Walter Fust and deputy director Toni Frisch were accused of corruption without having heard them beforehand. A statement from the SDC on the accusation was missing from the article.
According to Weltwoche, prior questioning was not necessary because there was no so-called serious accusation. In addition, the allegations in a second article were not new, so a new hearing was not necessary.
The Press Council does not share the SDC's view that Weltwoche had portrayed SDC, Fust and Frisch as complicit in corruption. Furthermore, the accusations had already been made in the first article. However, Weltwoche would have done well to hear the Deza managers again, even if it had not been obliged to do so, the supervisory body continues.
In its complaint, the SDC criticized the fact that its director Walter Fust and deputy director Toni Frisch were accused of corruption without having heard them beforehand. A statement from the SDC on the accusation was missing from the article.
According to Weltwoche, prior questioning was not necessary because there was no so-called serious accusation. In addition, the allegations in a second article were not new, so a new hearing was not necessary.
The Press Council does not share the SDC's view that Weltwoche had portrayed SDC, Fust and Frisch as complicit in corruption. Furthermore, the accusations had already been made in the first article. However, Weltwoche would have done well to hear the Deza managers again, even if it had not been obliged to do so, the supervisory body continues.
