SRP76
10-Jun-2009, 04:56 AM
Here's a nice dose:
Swiss court rules against American in sheik case
Published: 6/9/09, 2:45 PM EDT
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - An American has lost his court battle in Switzerland with a member of the ruling United Arab Emirates' family who whipped him in the face with a belt in a Geneva hotel bar.
The Swiss supreme court upheld a lower court's quashing of the criminal conviction of Sheik Falah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, 38, according to a copy of the ruling seen Tuesday by The Associated Press.
Al Nahyan, brother of the UAE ruler, was convicted in July of hitting Silvano Orsi, 40, of Rochester, New York, with a belt after the American declined a bottle of champagne the sheik offered him in a luxury Geneva hotel bar in 2003. Al Nahyan was fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($9,820).
But in March a Geneva appeals court quashed the conviction of inflicting bodily harm with a dangerous object on the grounds that the belt wasn't dangerous.
Orsi appealed to the Federal Tribunal to reinstate the conviction.
In rejecting the appeal on procedural grounds, the Federal Tribunal ordered Orsi to pay 2,000 Swiss francs ($1,834) in court costs. The high court's ruling, dated May 26, held that as a civil party Orsi didn't have the legal standing to contest the acquittal.
"We will take this to the next level, to the European Court of Human Rights, because my human rights have been openly violated by Switzerland and the UAE royal sheik who attacked me," Orsi told The Associated Press.
He said the ruling shows that Switzerland discriminates against victims.
"They do not allow a victim or common citizen to appeal his case to the federal level, especially when a lower court directly violates Swiss federal law, and rules that a belt is not a dangerous instrument when used to whip a man in the face and head," Orsi said.
Orsi claims that after refusing the champagne, the sheik, whom he had never met, came up behind him, jostled his glasses, sat on his lap and tried to kiss and fondle him. When Orsi protested, the assault began, he says.
The sheik told investigators that he got into a heated argument with Orsi after he overheard someone call him gay. Al Nahyan acknowledged that he pulled his belt from his trousers but denied striking Orsi.
Geneva's chief prosecutor, Daniel Zappelli, has said Orsi's injuries and post-traumatic shock from the beating in August 2003 left him incapable of working.
The defendant is a brother of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who was appointed president of the United Arab Emirates in 2004 after the death of their father, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Now, if this were an American high-mucky-muck beating someone from anywhere else in the world, everyone would be talking about "give him the chair", and you damn well know it.
But it's always open season on Americans, since they're subhuman. Beat one all you want, it's okay.
Swiss court rules against American in sheik case
Published: 6/9/09, 2:45 PM EDT
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - An American has lost his court battle in Switzerland with a member of the ruling United Arab Emirates' family who whipped him in the face with a belt in a Geneva hotel bar.
The Swiss supreme court upheld a lower court's quashing of the criminal conviction of Sheik Falah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, 38, according to a copy of the ruling seen Tuesday by The Associated Press.
Al Nahyan, brother of the UAE ruler, was convicted in July of hitting Silvano Orsi, 40, of Rochester, New York, with a belt after the American declined a bottle of champagne the sheik offered him in a luxury Geneva hotel bar in 2003. Al Nahyan was fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($9,820).
But in March a Geneva appeals court quashed the conviction of inflicting bodily harm with a dangerous object on the grounds that the belt wasn't dangerous.
Orsi appealed to the Federal Tribunal to reinstate the conviction.
In rejecting the appeal on procedural grounds, the Federal Tribunal ordered Orsi to pay 2,000 Swiss francs ($1,834) in court costs. The high court's ruling, dated May 26, held that as a civil party Orsi didn't have the legal standing to contest the acquittal.
"We will take this to the next level, to the European Court of Human Rights, because my human rights have been openly violated by Switzerland and the UAE royal sheik who attacked me," Orsi told The Associated Press.
He said the ruling shows that Switzerland discriminates against victims.
"They do not allow a victim or common citizen to appeal his case to the federal level, especially when a lower court directly violates Swiss federal law, and rules that a belt is not a dangerous instrument when used to whip a man in the face and head," Orsi said.
Orsi claims that after refusing the champagne, the sheik, whom he had never met, came up behind him, jostled his glasses, sat on his lap and tried to kiss and fondle him. When Orsi protested, the assault began, he says.
The sheik told investigators that he got into a heated argument with Orsi after he overheard someone call him gay. Al Nahyan acknowledged that he pulled his belt from his trousers but denied striking Orsi.
Geneva's chief prosecutor, Daniel Zappelli, has said Orsi's injuries and post-traumatic shock from the beating in August 2003 left him incapable of working.
The defendant is a brother of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who was appointed president of the United Arab Emirates in 2004 after the death of their father, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Now, if this were an American high-mucky-muck beating someone from anywhere else in the world, everyone would be talking about "give him the chair", and you damn well know it.
But it's always open season on Americans, since they're subhuman. Beat one all you want, it's okay.