Book project on the Spiess-Hegglin case

The Zug Cantonal Court has issued a super-provisional injunction in connection with a planned book on Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin.

The Zug cantonal court has stopped the "Tagesanzeiger" journalist Michèle Binswanger from publishing her planned book. In connection with her book project on the infamous Zuger Landammann Celebration in 2014, the court has issued a so-called ‘super-provisional injunction’ prohibiting Binswanger from writing about content that could violate the personal rights and privacy of Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin.

The ban also applies to all other publication channels of the journalist. A breach could result in a fine of up to CHF 10,000.

Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin.

Spiess-Hegglin had asked the court to issue this injunction because she feared that, in her planned book, Binswanger might violate her personal privacy or that of the former SVP cantonal councillor Markus Hürlimann, especially as she had proceeded from a speculative and non-verified version of the events of that time.She described the alleged act that evening as "Techtelmechtel" (hanky-panky) , the Green councillor had "boozed" with the SVP man until the "quickie" occurred. Spiess-Hegglin called Binswanger's planned book a "private revenge project."

In a message on Twitter earlier this week, Binswanger wrote that Spiess-Hegglin has been speaking publicly about the case “for 5.5 years, and has accused an innocent man of rape." That statement may well be unlawful. The Zurich High Court recently convicted the former "Weltwoche" journalist Philipp Gut for defamation. He had also claimed that Spiess-Hegglin had lied about the events at the Landammann celebration, and had "falsely accused" Markus Hürlimann.

Binswanger now has the opportunity to address her comments to the Zug Cantonal Court within the next 10 days.

Zuger Landamann Celebration in 2014
At the time, SVP cantonal councillor Hürlimann and the Green Party representative Spiess-Hegglin both sat in the cantonal council of Zug. One thing is certain: On December 20, 2014, there was some sexual contact between the two at the edge of the Landammann celebration. There was talk of K.O drops, the public prosecutor's office in Zug investigated Hürlimann for rape, and he himself brought charges against Spiess-Hegglin for false accusations. Both cases were discontinued.