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Switzerland region will vote on giving primates constitutional rights

Primates could be given fundamental constitutional rights in an area in Switzerland after a referendum on the proposal was given the go ahead.

The northern canton of Basel-City will vote on whether to amend its constitution after campaigners amassed more than 100,000 signatures.

The vote has been given the go ahead by the country's supreme court after cantonal and city governments objected saying it could violate federal law.

Last year a complaint against the amendment's legality was dismissed by a Basel court and on Wednesday the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland rejected an appeal against that decision.

The court said: 'In principle, cantons can go further than the protections guaranteed by the federal constitution.

'The initiative does not ask that federal rights accorded to humans be extended to animals, but is asking for the introduction of specific rights for non-human primates.

'While unusual, this does not in itself contradict the superior law, especially since the fundamental distinction between animal rights and fundamental human rights is not brought into question,' reported The Local.

Animal rights group Sentience Politics launched the proposal in 2016, and said it was 'thrilled at this historic decision'.

The organisation said: 'Nonhuman primates have a fundamental interest in their life and physical and mental integrity.

'However, this is hardly taken into account by the Swiss animal welfare legislation.'

A date for a vote on the issue is still to be set under the rules of the country’s direct democracy system.

Reference: Joe Davies For Mailonline 1 day ago: 17/09/2020