Facts

The case concerns the extension of the pre-trial detention of A., ordered by the Coercive Measures Court of the Canton of Zurich. A. is suspected of having committed sexual acts with children. He was arrested on July 28, 2016, and his pre-trial detention has been extended several times. A. has appealed against these extension decisions. The Federal Supreme Court examines the requirements for the application of Art. 221 para. 1 lit. c CrimPC regarding the risk of recidivism as a ground for detention. It conducts a detailed analysis of the following criteria: - The severity of the feared future offenses (serious crimes or misdemeanors) - The serious danger these offenses pose to the safety of others - The prognosis of recidivism, which must be unfavourable, but need not be "very" unfavourable

Considerations

The Federal Supreme Court is of the opinion that the sexual acts with children attributed to A. are not trivial and that there is a serious risk of recidivism, which justifies the continuation of his pre-trial detention. Although the preliminary psychiatric assessment has classified the risk of recidivism in the short term as only "moderate", the Federal Supreme Court is of the opinion that this is sufficient to justify an unfavourable prognosis within the meaning of Art. 221 para. 1 lit. c CrimPC. The more…