satisfaction
Federal court decides: Brian Keller must receive more money for solitary confinement
Criminal Brian Keller must receive greater compensation for his time in solitary confinement. According to the Federal Court, 50 francs per day, as originally proposed by the Zurich District Court, is too little.
Brian Keller spoke to the media in November after his release. It is now clear: he must receive more money for his time in prison.
Photo: Severin Bigler
In 2017, Brian Keller spent 20 days in solitary confinement. Because the conditions in the prison were illegal, the Zurich resident demanded compensation of 40,000 francs. The Zurich District Court awarded the notorious criminal 50 francs per day, or 1,000 francs.
This amount was “set too low,” the Federal Court concluded in a ruling published on Friday. The reason given for the decision was that the lower court had either not assessed the seriousness of the violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights or had done so inaccurately.
Conversely, however, this does not mean that Brian Keller is now entitled to the full amount he demanded, the Lausanne judges wrote in the statement on the ruling made on July 12. The fact that the ruling was referred back to the Zurich Higher Court simply means that the court must reassess its decision. Apart from that, the Federal Court has rejected Brian Keller’s further demands.
The amount of 50 francs was originally set by the Zurich District Court in 2022. As a result, Brian Keller’s appeal to the Zurich Higher Regional Court failed. The court must now deal with the compensation case again.
Once known throughout Switzerland as “Carlos”
Since his release last November, Brian Keller has again made negative headlines on a number of occasions. He was recently released from custody after a physical altercation with an opponent. The proceedings in the case against him and his opponent are still ongoing.
Brian Keller became known in 2013 through an SRF documentary under the pseudonym “Carlos”. The then seventeen-year-old had been convicted of various crimes.
After the film was broadcast, the expensive special setting that was created for “Carlos” came under criticism and was eventually canceled. Keller spent a total of seven and a half years in prison for assault and other crimes, part of it in solitary confinement. (sat)
Verdict of 12 July 2024 (2C_900/2022)
