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US crash widower sues Swiss for $10m: report

A US law professor whose wife was killed in an accident involving a Swiss embassy car in Washington is suing the Swiss government for $10 million, it was reported on Thursday.

Published: 29 December 2011 12:36 CET

Trudi Rishikof, 64, was hit by the 4×4 in the US capital in October.

Swiss media named the driver as Kamal Mortada, a former employee of Hannibal Qaddhafi, son of the ousted Libyan leader.

The victim’s widower Harvey Rishikof, a specialist in national security law and terrorism at Washington’s National War College, is seeking $10 million, Swiss newspaper Blick reported.

Mortada was at the centre of diplomatic row between Libya and Switzerland in 2008 when he reported his employer to Geneva police for ill-treatment.

According to Blick, Mortada had since turned up in Washington where he was working for the Swiss embassy.

The complaint was filed in the capital a week ago against Mortada and the Swiss embassy, citing reckless driving, it reported.

The foreign ministry confirmed in October that a local embassy employee was involved in a fatal car accident in Washington but said on Thursday it had not been informed of the complaint.

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Travel: Germany downgrades Covid-19 risk status of USA

People walking in New York in May 2020. Photo: DPA

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) changed the risk classification of the United States on March 7th.

The US was previously classed as a “high incidence area” by the RKI. These are regions where the incidence is over 200 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents with a period of seven days.

However, now it’s a “risk area” – which is used by German authorities to describe a region with an increased risk of infection, usually above 50 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in seven days.

Other factors are also taken into account, such as measures in place.

It means the travel requirements for people coming from the US to Germany have changed.

However, entry from the US is only permitted in a few narrow exceptions. Proof of urgent need to travel is required, German authorities say. You can find more information in the story below.

READ MORE: When are Americans allowed to travel to Germany?

What happens if I need to travel from the US to Germany?

If you are a German resident from the US, or fall into one of the exception categories, you still face strict testing and quarantine measures.

All travellers must have a negative Covid-19 test result at the latest 48 hours after they enter Germany. It must be presented to authorities if they request it.

Some individual airlines may however still say that travellers have to present a coronavirus negative test result before boarding is allowed. You should contact your airline before travel to check.

Both PCR tests as well as rapid anitgen tests are accepted if they meet the quality standards. Testing is still mandatory even if travellers are vaccinated or have recovered from a coronavirus infection.

People returning from “risk zones” are required to self-isolate for 10 days after they arrive.

The quarantine can usually be ended with a negative coronavirus test result taken at the earliest five days after arriving in Germany.

However, states can differ on their travel regulations so check with your local authority before travelling.

Everyone entering Germany is also required to register online.

New “high incidence areas”

In the RKI’s latest travel classification list, Sweden, Hungary and Jordan are now classed as “high incidence areas” which means stricter testing and quarantine rules apply.

Areas of “variant concern” include Austria’s Tyrol region, the UK, Brazil, Portugal and Ireland. Even stricter rules apply for these regions.

You can find out more information about travel rules in our story below.

READ MORE: What you need to know about Germany’s latest rules on foreign travel

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