The World - News from April 6, 1987

Swiss voters approved a government proposal for stricter laws designed to limit political asylum for refugees. In a national referendum, 67.4% of the electorate supported amendments to the asylum law that were approved by Parliament last year. A loose coalition of refugee, church and human rights groups had forced the referendum on the amendments, which they said would undermine Switzerland’s long history of offering sanctuary to the persecuted. However, Justice Minister Elisabeth Koop argued that a majority of the nation’s 22,000 asylum seekers are economic refugees. Many of those awaiting a decision on asylum are from Iran and Sri Lanka.