Facts
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) submitted a request for mutual legal assistance to Switzerland in the context of a criminal proceeding against L., a former minister, and C. The request aimed in particular at the release of funds deposited in bank accounts in Switzerland. The Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) rejected this request, considering that the seized funds originated exclusively from a loan misappropriated by L. and had to be returned to the lender, A. The FDRE appealed against this decision.Considerations
The DFC dismissed the FDRE's appeal. It considered that the FDRE did not demonstrate having the status of an injured party in the foreign criminal proceedings, a necessary condition to participate in the mutual assistance proceedings in Switzerland. On the merits, the DFC ruled that the seized funds…