In May 2024, activists took part in a sit-in protest for Gaza at ETH Zurich.
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United Nations human rights experts have expressed alarm over the Swiss federal technology institute ETH Zurich pursuing criminal prosecution of students who protested its partnerships with Israeli institutions.
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Ten UN experts have expressed their alarm at the trial a few months ago of activists who had taken part in a sit-in protest for Gaza in May 2024 at ETH Zurich. On Tuesday in Geneva, they denounced the criminalisation of fundamental freedoms.
Around 70 students had called on ETH Zurich to withdraw from any research ties with Israel’s military-industrial apparatus. The Swiss publicly funded university lodged a complaint against the protesters for trespassing.
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Until October 2025, ETH Zurich’s website stated that no end-use controls existed over knowledge exchanged through fundamental research collaborations, and that the potential military application of its work could not be ruled out.
While Switzerland introduced new dual-use export control regulations in May 2025, these do not apply to fundamental research. As such, responsibility largely appears to be delegated to individual researchers, without robust institutional oversight.
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Zurich court partially acquits pro-Palestine university squatters
Following the protests, 38 students received penal orders, including 17 who chose to appeal. Recent court decisions have upheld trespass convictions against five students, while acquitting two others on procedural grounds. Decisions for the remaining ten students are pending.
The ten experts do not speak on behalf of the UN but are mandated by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
Adapted from French by AI/sb
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