Press releases

Dear media representatives, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are addressing you to draw attention to the homicide of Roger Nzoy Wilhelm and the related trial. The public prosecutor of the canton of Vaud wants to close the case. The scientific reports from our independent commission as well as the film from the scientific research organization Border Forensics, presented at the press conference on November 10th, 2023, highlight numerous inconsistencies and unanswered questions.

On August 30, 2021, Roger Wilhelm, a 38-year-old Zuricher, was shot dead by a police officer at Morges station. The aftermath of this tragic incident is as shocking as it is worrying: Roger Wilhelm was left lying on his stomach for six and a half minutes, without the four police officers present providing him with first aid. However, on October 10, 2023, the Public Prosecutor's Office of the canton of Vaud announced that it intended to close the homicide procedure and not to enter into matters concerning the failure to render first aid therefore, not to bring the case before the courts.

Switzerland does not have an independent institution to investigate cases of police violence. In the Roger Nzoy Wilhelm affair, an independent civil society commission bringing together renowned scientists was created. This “Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Death of Roger Nzoy Wilhelm,” which is composed of experts in the fields of medicine, psychology, law, and social sciences, has set itself the objective to investigate the medical, legal and sociopolitical circumstances of this death.

In this press kit, you will find the press release, information on the death of Roger Nzoy Wilhelm and the work of the Commission, as well as a transcription of the public statements made by the members of the Commission at the press conference on November 10th in Lausanne. Likewise, photos of Wilhelm are attached.

We believe it is the responsibility of the state and our society to investigate this death independently, effectively, and fully to drive necessary changes and prevent further deaths. We therefore urge you to pay attention to this case and its many social implications in order to provide the public with the necessary information.

We remain at your disposal for any additional information and any interview. We thank you for your attention and support on this important issue.

Yours sincerely,
The Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Death of Roger Nzoy Wilhelm

Press kit