Swiss telecom giant Swisscom is under fire after one of its employees was found to have posted antisemitic messages and Holocaust references on social media.
The scandal erupted when a user on Threads reacted to the death of a Jewish teenage girl in the January 1 fire at the Constellation building in Crans-Montana, saying: “Not a loss, may she burn in hell for eternity.” Other posts, reportedly from the same individual, included references to Zyklon B and suggestions to “restart one of the ovens”, in connection with the Middle East conflict.
On January 30, a whistleblower shared screenshots of the posts on Instagram and X, tagging Swisscom directly. The man behind the messages, a Swisscom employee based in Geneva, was quickly identified. His social media accounts have since been deleted.
Initially, Swisscom declined to comment, stating it did not respond to private social media posts but reaffirmed its commitment against violence and discrimination. This stance drew sharp criticism online, with many condemning the company’s response and insisting that “antisemitism is not an opinion, but a crime.”
On February 2, Swisscom reversed course, announcing on LinkedIn and X that it had launched an internal investigation. In a statement to Tribune de Genève, Swisscom spokesman Christian Neuhaus confirmed disciplinary action had been taken but said the company would not comment on personnel matters. He reiterated Swisscom’s firm condemnation of all forms of discrimination.
The CICAD (Coordination against Antisemitism and Defamation) sent a letter to Swisscom’s CEO on February 4, calling the posts “extremely violent” and accusing the company of downplaying or normalizing Holocaust-related content. The organization asked what steps Swisscom intends to take and whether it would make a public statement. CICAD also confirmed it is exploring possible legal action, according to its secretary general Johanne Gurfinkiel.
Under Article 261bis of the Swiss Criminal Code, publicly expressed racist or antisemitic content can be punished with up to three years in prison or a fine, and such offenses are prosecuted ex officio. Legal expert Pierluca Degni explained that even individuals not directly targeted by the content can file a complaint.
From an employment law perspective, Degni noted that such cases test the employee’s duty of loyalty and the company’s responsibility to protect its staff and reputation. If posts cause insecurity or internal conflict, employers are obliged to investigate and respond, sometimes with the help of an external firm to avoid conflicts of interest.
Immediate dismissal is only allowed in cases of “just cause,” especially where reputational damage is severe. Degni concluded that criminal behavior and reputational harm may justify terminating the employee’s contract due to a loss of trust.
