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Swiss court orders release on bail of bar owner in probe of fatal New Year’s fire

GENEVA (AP) — A court on Friday ordered the release on bail of one of the owners of the Swiss bar where a fire broke out during a New Year’s celebration, killing 40 people and injuring more than 100.

The court of compulsory measures in the southwestern Valais region on Jan. 12 ordered three months of pretrial detention for Jacques Moretti over the fire in the early hours of Jan. 1 at Le Constellation bar in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana, but said it was inclined to lift the detention if suitable “security measures” were arranged.

On Friday, the court said it had lifted the detention order and instead imposed other measures to counter a “flight risk.” Those include obligations to stay in Switzerland, deposit his identity documents with prosecutors and report to police every day. The court set a bail of 200,000 francs ($252,000), which was paid.

Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the owners — Moretti and his wife, Jessica Moretti — who are suspected of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and causing a fire by negligence.

Lawyers for the couple said in a statement Friday that they will continue to respond to all requests from authorities and “their constant thoughts remain with the victims of this tragedy.”

Investigators believe that sparkling candles ignited the fire when they came too close to the ceiling, which was outfitted with soundproofing material. They are looking into whether the material conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar.

Local authorities have said that fire safety inspections of the bar hadn’t been carried out since 2019.

Australian watchdog files legal action against Telegram, saying it failed to remove violent content

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s online safety watchdog has filed legal action against messaging app Telegram, saying the platform failed to remove extremist content including videos of white supremacist mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and the New Zealand city of Christchurch as well as Islamic State group beheadings. The United Arab Emirates-based app, which reports having 1 billion users worldwide, faces a fine of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars ($38 million) if convicted in the Australian Federal Court for “alleged failure to detect and remove pro-terror material,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Thursday. The civil action is a test of Australia's 2021 law requiring tech platforms to work to keep illegal and pro-terrorism material off their networks. Telegram denied the claims. “We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a spokesperson said in a written statement sent on Telegram.
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