Swiss forensic psychiatrist Frank Urbaniok, a respected voice in criminal psychology, is stirring debate with bold claims linking cultural background to crime among migrants. In his upcoming book The Dark Sides of Migration, Urbaniok argues that Europe’s asylum policy needs a serious reality check — one that takes crime statistics into account.
Speaking to Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Urbaniok cited years of research and his own experience analyzing thousands of violent cases. He claims migrants from certain countries — particularly Afghanistan, Morocco, and Tunisia — are significantly overrepresented in serious violent crime cases across Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. “It’s not about skin color or origin,” he emphasized, “but cultural imprints — how people perceive violence, women, and authority. These aren’t things that disappear overnight, or even after a generation.”
According to his analysis, Tunisians, for instance, are nine times more likely than native Swiss to be reported for serious violent offenses. Urbaniok insists this isn’t about demonizing migrants as a whole, but about facing uncomfortable facts that too many politicians and media outlets sidestep.
He’s also taken heat for the book’s cover, which features a knife — a choice he defends as symbolizing growing public anxiety around safety.
Urbaniok proposes a hard-nosed approach: set asylum quotas based on crime data from applicants’ countries of origin. “The idea that everyone who technically qualifies should be accepted is simply unrealistic,” he said, adding that public safety should take precedence in policy decisions.
Critics have accused him of stoking fear or exaggerating the issue, but he’s not backing down. “There’s a deliberate attempt to soften the truth. And I think many in power are afraid the public can’t handle it.”
He also took a jab at how some countries bury foreign-born crime stats under national identities, calling it misleading and counterproductive. “Just because someone has a passport doesn’t mean they’ve shed their background.”
Though he’s shared the stage with members of the anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party, Urbaniok distances himself from simplistic political narratives. “The idea that border control alone will solve everything? That’s naïve,” he said. He also criticized Germany’s AfD party, accusing it of cozying up to extremists and failing to distance itself from xenophobic rhetoric.
Despite several publishers passing on the book out of concern for their image, Urbaniok says he’s undeterred. “Trying to shape public opinion by keeping certain facts off-limits — that’s not just wrong, it’s a danger to democracy.”
The Dark Sides of Migration is slated for release later this month — and it’s already making waves.
