Swiss WikiLeaks trial: Fabio De Masi supports Ruedi Elmer

A press release of Fabio De Masi

Jun 23rd, 2016

"Ruedi deserves to be lauded for his service to society, but instead continues to face prosecution. He needs to be acquitted. In times of LuxLeaks and Panama Papers, his prosecution will surely also evoke an international reaction", comments Fabio De Masi (Member of the European Parliament, DIE LINKE.) ahead of today's press conference with the Rudolf Elmer, the whistleblower and former manager of Swiss private bank Julius Bär on the Cayman Islands, and Zurich local councillor Niklaus Scherr (Alternative Liste) in anticipation of the WikiLeaks trial. Fabio De Masi is coordinator of the European Parliament's Left GUE/NGL group in the Luxembourg Leaks special committee and also testified for the defence of LuxLeaks whistleblower Antoine Deltour and his trial in April 2016.

De Masi adds: "Switzerland is about to emulate some of the worst tax haven practices in the EU, with a patent box that cuts corporate taxes by up to 90% and a deductions of fictive equity interest, like in Belgium. This shows that the tax war is not over and society continues to rely on people like Ruedi Elmer who risk their career and more in order to shed light on dubious and often illegal tax dumping practices."

He concludes: "The EU and Switzerland need to urgently enact strong and comprehensive protection for whistleblowers. They should also be compensated for financial losses as a consequence of their service to society. Banks and legal service providers that repeatedly aid tax evasion or money laundering should have their licence repealed, as also recommended by the final report of the European Parliament's LuxLeaks committee."