Facts
The appellant [A.] was convicted by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Basel-Landschaft of multiple attempted coercion to a conditional fine of 40 daily rates and a fine of 400 Swiss francs. He filed an objection to the penal order, whereupon the Public Prosecutor's Office referred the matter to the Criminal Court of Basel-Landschaft.
[A.] requested the President of the Criminal Court to appoint an official defence counsel for him. The latter rejected the request. Against this rejection, [A.] filed a complaint with the Cantonal Court of Basel-Landschaft, which the Cantonal Court also dismissed on 4 May 2021.
With his appeal to the Federal Supreme Court, [A.] requested in substance that the decision of the Cantonal Court be set aside and that an official defence counsel be appointed for him.
Considerations
The Federal Supreme Court did not enter into the appeal. It justified this by stating that a penalty of 40 daily rates and a fine of 400 Swiss francs constitutes a minor offence, for which there is generally no entitlement to official defence. The Cantonal Court had correctly stated that the proceedings did not present any particular difficulties, either in factual or legal terms, which the appellant, who holds a Maltese degree in international law, would not be able to cope with. The fact that the…