Switzerland ban on minarets draws worldwide criticism

[joeblow]

Switzerland ban on minarets draws worldwide criticism
Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:55:16 GMT

http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=1 ... =351020606




A woman writes slogans on a symbolic minaret erected to protest against the results of a vote on minarets ban in Switzerland at the Place Neuve square in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009. AP photo

Muslims around the globe have condemned Swiss voters' approval of a ban on minarets as a manifestation of their "hatred of Muslims."

Maskuri Abdillah, head of Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia's biggest Muslim group, said on Monday that the vote reflected "a hatred of Swiss people against Muslim communities" and called on its 40 million followers to exercise restraint.

Egypt's Muslim leader Ali Gomaa, the Egyptian government's official interpreter of Islamic law, also said the ban is an insult to Muslims and resembles "an attack on freedom of beliefs."

A clear majority of 57.5 percent of the Swiss population and 22 out of 26 cantons (provinces) favored the ban on construction of the symbolic towers, a distinct architectural feature of Islamic mosques from atop of which Muslims are called to prayer.

The vote was proposed by Switzerland's far-right People's Party that had been pushing for the ban over the past few months and portrayed the minaret as a 'symbol of radicalism.'

Earlier, the Swiss government and the UN had both condemned the ban on minaret construction. This is while Swiss Muslims believe the referendum would fuel Islamophobia.

Amnesty International also expressed deep regret over the Swiss voters' approval of the ban, calling it a violation of religious freedom for Muslims.

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, the right-wing Freedom Party (PVV) plans to follow suit and ask the Dutch government to hold a similar referendum.

The PVV leader Geert Wilders says his party will present its own bill to parliament, should the government reject such a vote.

Wilders widely is known for his Islamophobic views. Last year, his 17-minute film 'Fitna' caused international outrage for inciting hatred towards Islam.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Muslim countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Iran condemned the movie, which was posted on the internet in March 2008.

RZS/MMN
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    * Switzerland votes "yes" to minaret ban

[Ognir]

Will be back normally in Geneva tomorrow and will see what's happening.

No way were we expecting this result.

Goes to show that the Swiss Romande (French Speakers) are completely different to the Swiss Germans :roll:

[musique]

Rights watchdog hints Swiss minaret ban could go

GENEVA – A Swiss ban on minarets could violate fundamental liberties, Europe's top human-rights watchdog said Monday in an indication that the heavily criticized vote could be overturned.
The Swiss justice minister also said the European Court of Human Rights could strike down the Sunday vote, which incurred swift condemnation at home and abroad for banning the towers used to put out the Islamic call to prayer.
The 47-nation Council of Europe said that banning "new minarets in Switzerland raises concerns as to whether fundamental rights of individuals, protected by international treaties, should be subject to popular votes." Switzerland presides over the council, which is associated with the European Court of Human Rights. The court rules on breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said the ban would come into force immediately, but indicated that it could be overturned.
"The ban contradicts the European Convention on Human Rights," Zurich daily Blick cited Widmer-Schlumpf as saying.

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