Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland delivers significant outcomes in 2025 and contributes to reinforced internal security
Berna, 02.04.2026 — In 2025, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) achieved consequential results in criminal prosecutions across all areas falling within federal jurisdiction. Internal security remained a focal point in the year under review as demonstrated by the arrest of an individual linked to a explosive devices in Geneva and the prevention of a suspected jihadist-motivated terrorist attack. These outcomes were the result of close cooperation among authorities at national and international levels.
Several people were injured by explosive devices in Geneva between August 2024 and January 2025. Following an extensive investigation lasting several months, the offender was apprehended (OAG press release on 12 March 2025). The extremely close and effective cooperation among the authorities concerned proved decisive in this case. Criminal proceedings, led by the OAG, are ongoing.
Extensive investigations last year also led to significant advances in counter-terrorism and enabled a concrete terrorist threat to be identified at an early stage and successfully averted. In this case, the OAG has brought charges against an 18-year-old man from the German-speaking part of Switzerland that include supporting a terrorist organisation and preparatory acts with the intent to commit murder (OAG press release on 12 March 2026). The rising number of terrorism-related proceedings underscores the fact that such cases continue to place heavy demands on criminal justice authorities in their national and international cooperation frameworks.
The OAG achieved significant outcomes concerning attacks on ATMs using explosives, including through cooperation with partner authorities. Charges were brought in several cases, subsequently leading to convictions. As offenders typically operate across borders, prosecuting these crimes is complex but is nevertheless becoming increasingly effective. Successful law enforcement contributed to halving the number of attacks on ATMs using explosives in 2025 compared with the previous year.
By contrast, the number of criminal complaints relating to offences against public officials, including staff working in public transport and customs, rose by around one-third last year. A total of 576 criminal offences were reported in this category.
Investigation results thanks to international cooperation – commitment to finance industry integrity
Criminality knows no borders, making international cooperation a vital part of the equation. The exchange of investigative findings and coordinated search operations are particularly important in tackling cybercrime and white-collar crime. This is reflected in the numerous cases prosecuted by the OAG last year involving cybercrime, money laundering and international corruption and bribery. In this connection, several criminal hacking groups were identified, leading to arrests and convictions. Charges brought by the OAG in relation to fraud involving individuals posing as bank technical staff resulted in a first-instance conviction. The OAG also issued summary penalty orders against several banks found to be at fault. Maintaining this focus helps to safeguard the integrity of the Swiss finance industry and to combat dishonest business practices.
In pursuit of this objective, the OAG formed an alliance last year with British and French prosecuting authorities to achieve even greater effectiveness in tackling bribery and corruption (OAG press release on 20 March 2025).
Strengthening internal security an ongoing priority
The OAG continues to rely on a combination of targeted investigations, international cooperation and technological advances. Measures are designed to reinforce Switzerland’s internal security over the long term and protect it against further attacks. This international dimension plays a key role in the prosecution of offences involving criminal organisations. A case in point was the criminal proceedings brought last year against an Italian citizen residing in the canton of Aargau.
The boundaries between different forms of criminal activity are becoming increasingly blurred, with growing repercussions across multiple areas of the OAG, which is reorganising to address these developments. A dedicated unit has recently been tasked with coordinating activities among case-handling divisions, thereby strengthening cooperation and enabling the OAG’s resources to be prioritised more strategically.
Parliament’s decision to steadily increase staffing at fedpol, particularly within the Federal Criminal Police, sends a strong signal in the fight against serious crime. This will enable criminal justice authorities to respond more effectively to rising caseloads and the growing complexity of modern law-enforcement challenges.
The OAG 2025 Annual Report can be consulted on its website (www.bundesanwaltschaft.ch).