Swiss naked hiker wins appeal in country’s first trial on nude hiking
By APFriday, May 28, 2010
Swiss naked hiker wins court appeal
GENEVA — A Swiss man fined for nude hiking has won an appeal of the 100-franc ($87) penalty because a court decided that the charge of “indecent behavior” did not apply.
Prosecutor Christian Boetschi says he has not decided whether to appeal the Friday decision. The ruling should not be seen as giving blanket permission to hike nude in the area, he said.
Hiking naked off busy trails is not a crime in Switzerland. But the unidentified hiker chose a path that passed a Christian rehabilitation center and a woman reported him to police.
He told the court that he had been hiking naked for two years without problems.
“We’re not exhibitionists, we just want to be free,” said the hiker’s legal representative, who is also a nude hiker and asked not to be named because to protect his family members from harassment.
