Swiss party accused of racist campaigning

4.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 3rd Sep 2007

Switzerland flag

Switzerland's biggest political party - The People's Party has been accused of racist campaigning. It has issued posters showing three white sheep on a Swiss flag kicking out a black sheep with the caption "For more security".

The party claims immigrants, which make up 20% of the population, are four times more likely to commit crimes than Swiss nationals.

The UN special rapporteur on racism, Doudou Diène, asked the Swiss government for an explanation over the adverts. Earlier this year, Mr Diène published a report criticising the "racist and xenophobic dynamic" in Switzerland and warning that political parties were taking advantage of tensions over national identity.