Is Speech Silver and Silence Golden?

A person who sees something wrong at their workplace and informs a third party is called a whistleblower. Such acts are frequently associated with great risk, but the individuals carrying them out are rarely thanked for their actions; rather, they are likely to be confronted with a whole slew of reprisals from the “betrayed” party. Nicola Müller’s project looks at whistleblowing from a legal perspective. When, if ever, should irregularities be made public, and to whom? What interests come into play? And does the legal system in Switzerland protect whistleblowers from mobbing or dismissal? In his work at the Institute of Law, Nicola Müller shows that Swiss legislators are very skeptical of whistleblowers, despite their great significance in fighting economic crime. The legal protections for whistleblowers in Switzerland are flimsy and enforcement is often not possible. The fairness of this condition is a matter of perspective. Is a well-meaning whistleblower committing treason against a company or rendering a service to society?

Artistic realization: Prisca Baumann