Right to a fair trial

The right to a fair trial secures basic procedural guarantees before courts and, where applicable, other adjudicatory bodies. It includes access to a tribunal, independence and impartiality, equality of arms, the right to be heard, reasoned decisions, public hearings subject to justified exceptions, and timely proceedings. In criminal matters it also covers the presumption of innocence, defence rights and interpretation where needed. Swiss constitutional law, procedural codes and European human rights standards all shape these protections.