MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The non-refoulement principle of international law, prohibiting the expulsion or return of a refugee to a place where their life or freedom could be threatened, will prevail over the proposed Swiss legislation that aims to provide a legal basis for the automatic deportation of any foreign resident if they commit a crime, a lawmaker from the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) told Sputnik Thursday.
"All foreign citizens will be affected," Alfred Heer said. "However due to international law's ‘non refoulement’ principle we cannot expulse [expel] foreigners to countries where they could suffer torture, [the] death penalty or inhumane treatment."
On February 28, Switzerland will hold a referendum to decide whether foreign nationals who reside in Switzerland should be automatically deported if found guilty of committing a crime, ranging from murder to speeding.
According to the 1954 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, no state may expel a refugee to territories where his/her life would be threatened because of race, religion, nationality or membership of a political or social organization.
About a quarter of the Swiss population of 8 million are foreigners.
