A Swiss appeals trial has begun six police officers acquitted over the death in custody of a Nigerian man, which has drawn comparisons to George Floyd’s killing in the United States.
Dozens of people gathered outside the courthouse in Renens, in western Switzerland, to show support for the family of Mike Ben Peter.
The 39-year-old died following a violent arrest after he refused a police drug search in Lausanne in early 2018.
In the encounter, involving six police officers, he was pinned to the ground, on his stomach, his family’s lawyer Simon Ntah told AFP prior to the initial trial.
“He was held in positional asphyxia” for several minutes, he said.
Mr Ben Peter died in hospital a few hours later after suffering a heart attack.
His death initially received little attention, but the global outcry over Mr Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police in May 2020 placed a bigger spotlight on the Swiss case.
Mr Ntah maintained that there were “enormous similarities” with Mr Floyd’s killing, but Mr Ben Peter’s encounter with the police was not filmed.
During the initial trial in June last year, a lower court in Lausanne deemed that the six officers involved in the incident could not be found guilty of negligent homicide.
The public prosecutor’s office also decided to drop the charges, referring in particular to forensic expertise, which was unable to state with certainty that Mr Ben Peter died due to the police intervention.
The verdict drew strong reactions and protests.
Around 50 demonstrators came out this morning in support of Mr Ben Peter’s widow, who was attending the trial with her lawyer and brother-in-law.
They raised a large, black banner with the words “No justice, no peace” written in white letters – a slogan that has become ubiquitous in protests against racial injustice and police brutality in the US.
The appeals trial will last through Wednesday, with a verdict expected next Monday.
