Zurich, Switzerland. / Credit: Gianfranco Vivi/Shutterstock
CNA Newsroom, Jul 22, 2025 / 08:42 am (CNA).
SwissprosecutorshavefiledcriminalchargesagainstaZurichcouncillorandformerGreenLiberalPartyleaderaftershepostedimagesofherselffiringapproximately20shotsataChristianimagedepictingtheVirginMaryandtheinfantJesus.
AccordingtotheSwissnewsoutlet20Minuten,theZurichpublicprosecutor’sofficeaccusesSanijaAmetiofpubliclydisparagingreligiousbeliefsanddisturbingreligiouspeaceunderArticle261oftheSwissPenalCode.
Thecodepenalizesanyone“whopubliclyandmaliciouslyinsultsormocksthereligiousconvictionsofothers,andinparticulartheirbeliefinGod,ormaliciouslydesecratesobjectsofreligiousveneration.”
TheincidentoccurredinSeptember2024,whenAmetiusedanairpistoltoshootatareproductionofthe14th-centurypainting“MadonnawithChildandtheArchangelMichael”bytheartistTommasodelMazza.
Thepoliticianreportedlyfiredfromaround10meters(about33feet),deliberatelytargetingtheheadsofMaryandJesus.
Prosecutor‘sofficeinSwitzerlandcharges
