Swiss government rejects TV claims of Jewish labour camps

An allegation by a British television programme that Switzerland interned thousands of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany in forced labour camps has drawn a swift response from the Swiss government.

A Swiss statement rejected the allegation as having no legal or moral basis.

It said all able-bodied refugees had been required to contribute to the country's survival by providing mandatory labour.

The programme on the commercial station Channel Foursaid Jewish refugees were treated like common criminals.

Switzerland is already under attack for its wartime purchases of gold from Nazi Germany.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service