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Switzerland: report on data protection

01 July 1994

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In its first annual report published in June the Swiss Ombudsman strongly criticised many of the police data systems. It says these systems often do not fulfil even the minimum data protection standards, for example, too many authorities have direct online access to the data banks where sensitive personal information is registered. The Ombudsman also says that the restrictions on the citizen's rights to access of the data held on them is unacceptable - they should have the right of access to their files and be told that data has been stored on them by police and state protection agencies. The report provoked a violent reaction from the General Secretary of the Ministry of Police and Justice, Armin Walpen. In a newspaper interview he said that if the Ombudsman publicly criticised the police and state protection agencies again the Ministry would be forced to give up its policy of secrecy and "strike back" in public rebuttal.

Kommittee Schluss mit dem Schnffelstaat Bern Switzerland.

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