We “believe that fundamental and human rights are the essential grounds of a democracy that meets the needs of justice”, write monsignor Markus Büchel, president of the Swiss Bishops Conference, pastor Gottfried Locher, president of the Council of the Federation of Protestant Churches, and bishop Harald Rein of the Old Catholic Church. In an appeal for Human Rights Day, the Swiss Churches are worried to find that “fundamental rights are increasingly enslaved to people’s changing will”, so they encourage believers to take care “that such conquest won’t be sacrificed to the goals of a short-sighted policy of daily matters and migration, which give priority to personal and national interests”. Only the “subtle play of interactions” between democratic participation in the law-making process, adherence to the principles of justice and charity and access to independent courts, as explained by a leaflet that goes with the appeal, is “key to a democracy based on human rights”. On such a day, the Churches also call to sign a motion, “Take responsibility for our human rights”, launched by Acat, Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture, to “retain and strengthen human rights in Switzerland” as part of the “Protection Factor D – Human Rights” campaign (www.acat.ch).