A 22-year-old Kosovar who grew up in Switzerland has been banned from the country for five years for beating up a Serb. The Federal Court has upheld an appeal by the Zurich public prosecutor’s office.

The victim suffered serious injuries. The young man committed the offence in August 2020 during the probationary period of a sentence imposed by the Office of the Juvenile Prosecutor. After criminal proceedings were opened, the Kosovar committed further offences.

The highest Swiss court confirmed that a case of personal hardship exists. However, the public interest in deportation outweighed that of the defendant. The seriousness of the offence and the danger posed by the defendant were of importance. There was also a relevant risk of recidivism.

Another point raised by the court was that the young man was not economically integrated. Despite the threat of deportation, he had not managed to enter into a stable employment relationship.