Federal Court upholds 14-year prison sentence for Sperisen
Keystone-SDA
The Federal Supreme Court has dismissed Erwin Sperisen’s appeal against his conviction for aiding and abetting murder. It thereby upheld the 14-year prison sentence imposed by the Geneva Cantonal Court in 2024.
Sperisen was Director-General of the Guatemalan National Police from 2004 to 2007. During this period, several prisoners died during a police operation in a prison. In 2018, the Geneva Cantonal Court sentenced Sperisen to 15 years’ imprisonment for aiding and abetting murder in seven cases.
The Federal Supreme Court upheld this judgement. After the European Court of Human Rights confirmed in 2023 that a judge had shown bias, the case was referred back to the Cantonal Court. It found Sperisen guilty of aiding and abetting murder and imposed a prison sentence of 14 years.
+ Sperisen challenges Switzerland over lengthy proceedings
In its latest ruling, the Federal Supreme Court finds that Sperisen’s right to a fair trial has not been infringed. He cannot derive any benefit from the acquittal of a person in Austria.
Sperisen holds dual Swiss and Guatemalan nationality. He sought refuge in Switzerland with his family in 2007. He was arrested in Geneva in 2012. Since then, he has been tried four times by the Geneva courts, which have convicted him on each occasion.
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Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
