Sanija Ameti, who is the child of Bosniak Muslims and currently serves as an independent member of the Zurich municipal council, is accused by the Zurich public prosecutor’s office of “publicly disparaging religious beliefs” and “disturbing religious peace.”
The charges were filed under Article 261 of the Swiss Penal Code, which penalizes those who “publicly and maliciously insult or mock the religious convictions of others” or desecrate religious objects, reports the Catholic News Agency.
The incident, which occurred in September 2024, involved Ameti using an air pistol to fire approximately 20 shots at a picture of a 14th-century painting titled Madonna with Child and the Archangel Michael by Tommaso del Mazza.
Ameti can be seen firing from a distance of about 10 meters, specifically aiming at the heads of the Virgin Mary and Jesus.
She later posted photos of the damaged image to Instagram, including close-ups showing bullet holes, along with the caption “abschalten,” a German word meaning “switch off.”
The term, when paired with the imagery, was interpreted by some as symbolically calling for the erasure of Christian figures. The post sparked immediate backlash and led to 31 formal criminal complaints.
Ameti, who identifies as a Muslim-born atheist, stepped down from her leadership role in the Green Liberal Party. She has since left the party. She remains a sitting councillor in Zurich’s local government.
Ameti would make a statement on X asking for forgiveness, saying, “I ask for forgiveness from those hurt by my post.” She claimed she had not initially recognized the religious nature of the image and deleted the post once she understood its significance.
Prosecutors allege the incident was a deliberate “public staging” intended to provoke, calling it a “needlessly disparaging and hurtful disregard” for Christian beliefs. They are seeking a conditional fine of 10,000 Swiss francs (around $11,500 USD), an additional penalty of 2,500 francs ($2,900), and legal fees.
The Swiss Bishops’ Conference condemned the act as “unacceptable” and said it caused “deep hurt among Catholic faithful.” The bishops said the shooting demonstrated a “fundamental lack of respect for human dignity,” regardless of the religious nature of the image.
Bishop Joseph Bonnemain of Chur later said Ameti had personally written to him to apologize. He accepted her apology publicly and urged others to follow suit. “How could I not forgive her?” the bishop said.
