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SWISS HABITS

True or False: Is it illegal in Switzerland for men to pee standing up after 10pm?

You may have seen claims on social media sites that men in Switzerland aren't allowed to pee standing up after 10pm and wondered whether it is true. After all, the Swiss have some very strange rules.

Published: 16 February 2023 16:17 CET
True or False: Is it illegal in Switzerland for men to pee standing up after 10pm?
Should men have to sit down to pee at night? Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Over the years, many stories have circulated about some very bizarre habits and rules that Swiss people have created to complicate their (and everyone else’s) lives.

For instance, you can’t engage in any even remotely noisy activity on Sundays or late evenings, or dispose of your trash in a haphazard way.

READ MORE:

So while the ban on nighttime vertical peeing sounds totally plausible in Switzerland, do people (specifically, men) really have to comply with it, or is this just an urban legend?

If you’ve been holding your breath (or bladder) waiting for the answer, you may find the response somewhat wanting.

Our research revealed that there is some truth to this rule, though it comes with a lot of nuances, similar to the urban myth about flushing toilets at night:

Swiss daily dilemmas: Can I flush my toilet at night?

Hopefully, this information will bring you… some relief.

The truth behind peeing

Without getting too deeply into the details of male urination pattern, it is obvious that when men relieve themselves while standing up, the noise made by this action can be quite loud.

The decibel level also depends on how tall the man is and how full his bladder is — the taller / fuller combination will result in louder peeing.

It all depends on how loud you are and how thin the walls are. Photo by Elyas Pasban on Unsplash

Much also depends on who is within the earshot of the bathroom and how thick or thin the walls in the apartment building are.

Daytime versus nighttime peeing

While during the day, loud peeing may be a bit more tolerable, at night the noise can be disturbing to your neighbours (again, it depends on how thin your walls are).

In Switzerland, the hours between 10 pm and 7 am are designated as national quiet time, meaning that no loud noises are allowed anywhere in the country.

While nobody can outright forbid peeing during the night — standing, sitting, or swinging from a trapeze — being a good neighbour means not disturbing the sleep of people around you.

In general, Swiss law requires tenants to be considerate of other residents in the building, though this rather general statement leaves a lot up to individual interpretation.

Still, common sense dictates that a very tall man emptying his full bladder can be bothersome to some people, though certainly not as much as someone playing a drum in the middle of the night, a dog howling at the full moon, or this:

‘Oh God — I’m coming’: noise row goes public 

The bottom line is that while upright peeing after 10 pm is not a criminal offence and you won’t be led away in handcuffs, it could be disturbing to sensitive, or just cranky and irritable, neighbours.

So what should you do if you get a call of nature in the middle of the night?

First, read your rental agreement to see whether, and what type of, nighttime noises are not allowed.

You may also want to sit on the loo rather than stand, insulate your walls, or go live far away from civilisation.

And here are some other Swiss rules that may keep you awake at night:

The 12 strange laws in Switzerland you need to know

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PROTESTS

How free are people to protest in Switzerland?

As a centre of international diplomacy and cooperation and with its unique system of direct democracy, Switzerland enjoys a reputation for upholding fundamental human rights—but how free are the Swiss to express their opposition to power?

Published: 24 April 2024 15:25 CEST
How free are people to protest in Switzerland?

In its recently released 2024 report, Amnesty International criticised Switzerland for imposing restrictions on the right to protest and for dispersing protests violently. 

So what’s the problem? 

While not an explicit ban on protest, Amnesty International considers the obligation in some Swiss cantons for protest organisers to gain official approval and shoulder potential costs to be a repressive measure—essentially a ‘workaround’ in cooling dissent.

Amnesty International’s criticism comes on the heels of other concerns.   

In 2024, Amnesty International joined with the United Nations in criticizing moves by some Swiss cantons and cities to ban protests regarding the Middle East conflict as ‘disproportionate’. 

Read More: How ordinary citizens can try to change the law in Switzerland

The organization has also highlighted the continued use of rubber bullets by Swiss police in dispersing protests as a serious area of concern. 

Furthermore, any changes to protests are controlled or permitted in Switzerland must be made through individual cantons due to the country’s devolution of specific powers – a process that could take years. 

So what restrictions have been introduced in Switzerland?

In early March, the ‘Anti-Chaoten’ initiative put forward by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) youth wing, which would have placed significant legal and financial burdens on protesters, was rejected in a Zurich cantonal referendum. However, a counterproposal by cantonal authorities was accepted at the polls.

The successful counterproposal requires explicit permission from authorities to hold a protest or rally, as well as passing on the cost of the police operation, as well as any intentional damage, to protest organizers. Failure to gain approval for protests can result in charges being laid. 

Following the success of the Zurich measure, the Basel SVP intends to introduce a similar proposal to be voted on in August – with the same likely result.

Which protests have been dispersed violently in Switzerland? 

Due to global events, protests have become increasingly common in Switzerland over the last five years. Most have been peaceful, but there have been exceptions.

Measures introduced to limit the spread of the coronavirus between 2020 and 2022 led to violent protests being dispersed in Bern, Zurich and Lucerne. 

Read More: Switzerland to impose tougher penalties for violent protesters

Climate change protests have also been violently dispersed by police, using pepper spray and rubber bullets – such as in Basel in February 2023.

Amnesty International has also raised serious concerns regarding the police dispersal of an International Women’s Day protest in Basel on March 17th of this year, in which rubber bullets were also used. 

Most recently, opponents of the Eritrean regime were dispersed with tear gas and water cannons at a demonstration in Gerlafingen, Aargau, on March 31st. 

What right do the Swiss have to protest? 

The right to peaceful protest is enshrined in the Swiss federal constitution—Article 16 provides for freedom of expression, while Article 23 protects the right to free association. 

Indeed, in 2020, the country successfully introduced a resolution to the United Nations Human Rights Council, calling for world governments to protect the right to protest and not use the coronavirus pandemic as a reason to curtail freedoms. 

Read More: What foreigners should know about the Swiss constitution

Furthermore, the country is a signatory to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, as well as the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, which could have some bearing on how protests are dispersed.  

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