A 31-year-old citizen of Montenegro has been arrested after allegedly sending death threats to Albanian-origin politician Përparim Avdili, a candidate for mayor of Zurich.
The threats, sent from an anonymous social media account, targeted Avdili and his family and were reportedly connected to his positions regarding the war in Gaza. The incident occurred just days before the city’s local elections.
Authorities confirmed that the suspect was detained by the Zurich Cantonal Police, while prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation for threats and misuse of a telecommunications system.
Avdili, a member of the center-right Free Democratic Party of Switzerland, is running for mayor with an unconventional campaign, attempting to end 36 years of political control of the office by the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland.
Due to the ongoing investigation, Avdili declined to comment publicly on the threats.
Controversy Over Gaza and Islam
The tensions appear to stem from Avdili’s public statements about the war in Gaza and Islam, which have drawn criticism from pro-Palestinian activists and online platforms.
The online outlet Baba News and several pro-Palestinian social media channels accused Avdili of right-wing agitation and delegitimizing criticism of Israel. The criticism triggered a wave of insults and attacks against the politician on social media.
An activist group known as “Action for Palestine Switzerland” also launched a campaign against Avdili on Instagram, where he was labeled a “Zionist” and urged voters not to support him.
The controversy intensified after Avdili criticized certain pro-Palestinian demonstrations, claiming that some protests had included antisemitic slogans. He also questioned the decision of Zurich authorities to provide funding to UNRWA, a UN agency that has faced political controversy.
Earlier Statements Sparked Debate
Avdili previously drew criticism for a post on the platform X in which he wrote that “Islam does not belong to Switzerland, since Switzerland is a secular state — even if Muslims as citizens do belong to our country.”
The comment was made in response to a message from Beat Jans, who had written during Ramadan that Islam and Muslims belong to Switzerland.
Public Reaction and Political Fallout
The situation escalated further when rapper Arbër Rama, who had previously collaborated with Avdili on the song “Eine vo ois”, publicly distanced himself from the politician after learning of his political positions.
Rama said he could not support Avdili’s views regarding Gaza and Islam, stating that the humanitarian situation in Gaza was evident to anyone following the conflict.
Avdili, however, said he believes the attacks are part of a coordinated campaign targeting him and his family, accusing critics of falsely portraying him as a supporter of genocide. He emphasized that he supports a two-state solution in the Middle East and acknowledges the suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis.
Meanwhile, most parties in the Zurich City Council issued a joint statement condemning threats and political violence.
The Montenegrin suspect has since been released from detention, as prosecutors did not request pre-trial custody. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the individual admitted guilt. The presumption of innocence remains in effect until legal proceedings conclude.
