Antony Blinken in Ukraine, conviction for human trafficking in Belgium and security breach in Switzerland

Antony Blinken, the head of American diplomacy came to reassure Ukraine. A passage hailed by the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky: “Your visit is very important. It underlines your important support for our independence and our sovereignty.“, he declared in particular. In the coming days, Antony Blinken will meet the Europeans and his Russian counterpart and “hope to be able to remain on a diplomatic and peaceful path”.

In Belgium, 19 people belonging to a human trafficking network have been sentenced by the courts. This decision follows the discovery, in 2019, of 39 bodies of migrants in a refrigerated truck in England. The vehicle had transited through Belgium. A victory for human rights defenders: “The verdict is a very clear signal that one cannot exploit the misery of others in the world“, welcomed Luc Arnou, the lawyer for the federal migration center. The main organizer, who was sentenced to fifteen years in prison, did not rule out appealing his conviction.

In Switzerland, a new security breach affects the Swisstransplant organ donation register. It is thus possible to register a person on the site without their knowledge. It would even be possible to consult the list of registrants. An investigation to determine the reliability of the site has been opened. The revelation goes badly as Switzerland plans a vote on presumed consent to organ donation in May.