Advertisement filed Charlie Hebdo cartoon on Crans-Montana causes outrage

A cartoon by the French satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo" on the fire disaster in Crans-Montana has caused outrage. Two people from Valais have now filed a criminal complaint - for alleged violation of human dignity.

The latest cover of the French satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo" has triggered a strong reaction in Switzerland. The drawing refers to the fire disaster in Crans-Montana, in which at least 40 people lost their lives on New Year's Eve.

The cartoon shows two burning skiers skiing down a slope. The image is captioned with the phrase "Comedy of the year". The image was quickly criticized on social networks as irreverent and offensive.

Complaint to the Valais judiciary

As reported by the newspaper "Le Nouvelliste ", Béatrice and Stéphane Riand - an author and a lawyer from Valais - have filed a criminal complaint. In the complaint, they state that they acted "not only as Valais citizens, but also as parents who show solidarity with the suffering of the families affected by the drama in Crans-Montana".

In their opinion, the cartoon fulfills the requirements of Article 135 of the Swiss Criminal Code. This concerns the production and dissemination of violent depictions that seriously violate human dignity. According to the complaint, the fact that the motif refers to a real-life tragedy with numerous underage victims has an aggravating effect.

Satirical magazine with a long history of controversy

"Charlie Hebdo" is known for provocative and often deliberately transgressive cartoons. The magazine regularly invokes freedom of the press and freedom of expression, but has been criticized several times in the past for depictions of real acts of violence or deaths.

It remains to be seen whether the advertisement will lead to criminal prosecution in Switzerland. The relevant authorities have not yet commented on the matter