Swiss minaret ban criticized for violating right to religious freedom
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has criticized the Swiss ban on building minarets as an act of religious discrimination, putting it “on a collision course with international law.” In a referendum held on Monday, 57.5% of the Swiss population voted in favour of the constitutional ban, effectively barring any construction of the iconic mosque towers. The referendum was initiated by Swiss nationalist parties and originally sponsored by the anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party.
The ban raises questions of whether fundamental human rights like that of religious freedom should be subject to popular vote. While the Swiss nationalists have argued that they are not specifically targeting Muslims and merely want to foster better integration.
There has been significant backlash from the Muslim community. Leading Islamic scholar Sheikh Yousuf al-Qaradawi has urged Muslims worldwide to rally around their brethren in Europe in response to a most “racist ban”. In Cairo, once dubbed the City of a Thousand Minarets, the Swiss vote has also been criticized as an attack on religious freedom. Sheik Mohammed Abdel Aziz, secretary-general of Al-Azhar’s Fatwa Council, which releases religious edicts, argues: “European countries are supposed to be democratic and free. If there is freedom, why ban the construction of minarets? Will they also ban church bells?” While tension is mounting, there have not been calls for a boycott of Swiss products as yet.
Controversy is expected to mount as Muslims in the Swiss town of Lagenthal are standing behind their minaret plans. If the case is brought before the European Court of Human Rights, it is not absolutely clear whether the Court will force Switzerland to lift the ban on the basis of violation of the right to religious freedom.
1 Comment:
How is this a violation of religious freedom? The Swiss are not restricting the practice of other religions, simply avoiding those religions imposing themselves on other societies. Surely loss of heritage, culture and patriotism is more of a violation than banning a mere detail? The Swiss just want to retain some sense of identity. When one talks of London, one no longer identifies it with any national culture. The English are more known for being binge drinkers than any other cultural aspect. Whilst I am all for freedom of religious practice, there is certainly something to be said for keeping a nation’s identity. As for their relationships with the Middle East, which has proved to be very amicable in the past, there doesn’t yet appear to be too much of a brawl. As for whether the Swiss should be allowed to vote for such matters, whatever happened to the ideals of democracy? This is not a breach of religious freedom, merely an over-reaction to the notion of ‘political correctness’.