An appeal has been filed against the new Vaud law on begging. It comes from a group of nine people who believe that the bill, validated on October 1 by the Grand Council, goes too far. The entry into force of the law is thus delayed.
Announced Friday in the official notices sheet of the canton of Vaud, the appeal was filed with the Constitutional Court. This was seized by a group of nine people, including five beggars. We also find there notably Luc Recordon, the former advisor to the Vaudois States.
These people decided to appeal, “because the modification of the Vaud criminal law amounts to once again completely prohibiting begging, even passive, as the list of places where it would now be prohibited is so long”, explains Xavier Rubli, lawyer for the appellants. .
A “totally disproportionate” measure
He recalls in fact that the Grand Council, under the impetus of the PLR and the UDC, has toughened the tone on begging compared to the initial draft law of the Council of State, in particular by greatly extending the list of places where begging would be prohibited (markets as a whole, near schools and playgrounds, at the entrance to buildings, offices, banks as well as stores, cinemas and museums).
>> Read again on this subject: The Vaudois Grand Council confirms its tightening of the screw on begging
According to Xavier Rubli, the majority of the Grand Council decided “to go much further and obviously much too far” compared to the Council of State’s project. The lawyer believes that this turn of the screw is “totally disproportionate”.
Me Rubli adds that, according to the text adopted on October 1 by the Vaudois Parliament, “there would no longer remain any piece of territory in city centers in which passive begging (which consists of sitting on the ground and extending one’s hand) could be calmly exercised.
The PLR deplores “a major delay”
In reaction to this appeal, the Vaudois PLR published a press release in which it expressed “its deep disapproval”. This appeal suspends the entry into force of the law and causes “a major delay” in the implementation of “the measures necessary to guarantee the security and well-being of all Vaudois citizens”.
The party says it is all the more angry that “the provisions voted by the Grand Council correspond to those of the Basel law already validated by the Federal Court”.
The PLR says it hopes that the Constitutional Court will “rule quickly” so that the Vaudois can circulate in “peaceful and safe streets”.
ats/iar
