Redacted files, missing defendant A trial of national significance threatens to collapse in Graubünden

An anti-Semitic attack in Davos caused outrage in 2024. Now the perpetrator was due to stand trial - but he has disappeared. The trial is in danger of collapsing.

It was a story that rolled through the entire Swiss media landscape. Two asylum seekers attack a Jewish man in Davos in August 2024. It happened at night and without warning. They attacked the man and hit him in the face with their hands. According to reports, the perpetrators were a Lebanese and an Algerian. The court denies this and clarifies: "The Lebanese was not involved in the crime to be judged on Thursday."

The defendant has actually already been found guilty and must serve two months in prison. However, the man disappeared without a trace.

Now the penalty order and an announced court hearing at the Prättigau/Davos regional court show that the accused is to be brought to justice after all. The accused already has a criminal record and has committed another offense during his current probationary period, according to the court.

The sentence of 4 months' imprisonment imposed by the public prosecutor's office in Graubünden will therefore be revoked. Taking this revocation into account, a total sentence of 6 months' imprisonment is now requested for the offense to be reassessed, according to the court.

Redacted files and uncertainties

When blue News enquired about the indictment at the regional court, the answer was surprising. "We don't even know yet whether there will be a court hearing on August 7," says the court. This is because the accused cannot be found in Switzerland - and it is not known whether he will appear in court.

His defense lawyer has also "withdrawn", according to the court. The chances of the trial actually taking place are around 50 percent.

The circumstances in this case are unusual. Unlike usual, media representatives, including blue News, are only receiving a redacted indictment. Important parts were concealed. Normally, media representatives have unrestricted access to indictments and penalty orders - while respecting their right to privacy.

Attacks in Zurich and Lucerne

If the accused does not appear in court, the summons states, the prison sentence demanded by the public prosecutor's office will come into effect immediately. But how is a person who cannot be found supposed to serve a sentence in Switzerland? Like every criminal case, this one is highly relevant. In this case, however, the situation is precarious. The incident in August 2024 triggered a wave of discussion about anti-Semitism in Switzerland.

Six months earlier, in February 2024, a then 15-year-old stabbed an orthodox Jew in Zurich. The files are also blacked out in this case. The reason given: as the accused had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State before the attack, the files could be misused for propaganda purposes.

This year in July, there was another attack on a Jewish person. As reported by SRF, a previously unknown perpetrator spat on and insulted a group of young orthodox Jews in Lucerne. According to one of the victims, the man also had a knife with him. The public prosecutor's office in Lucerne has confirmed that the police launched an investigation into the incident on Saturday evening.

If the accused does not come forward, he will be put on international alert

The issue is explosive. Nevertheless, it must now be assumed that the accused will not appear in court in Davos.

If he does, the court proceedings will be rather short. The sentence would come into force immediately and the man would be made an international wanted man.

Whether this will be the case will become clear on August 7.