What are the penalties for the illegal use of public insignia?
The illegal use of public insignia, such as the coat of arms, the Swiss cross or official designations is pursued ex officio by the cantonal authorities. The competence of the confederation to file criminal charges is now explicitly stated in the law. With that, the confederation may take action in any cases in which is appears necessary to protect its interests. The option for anyone to file criminal charges with the responsible authorities remains unchanged. The Confederation can also file civil action against any illegal use of its coats of arms and public designations. Whoever intentionally and illegally uses public signs can be penalized with a custodial sentence of up to one year or a fine. If the offender acts commercially, the act is punishable with a custodial sentence of up to five years or a fine. The maximum fine allowed is CHF 1,080,000. This greatly increases the punishment for commercial use and creates a more effective deterrent.
