Swiss vote on banning moaque minarets

Swiss voters approved a ban on the construction of mosque minarets, from where Muslims are called to prayer, a result that may draw legal challenges and protest.

The initiative, sponsored by the Swiss Peoples Party or SVP, was backed by almost 58 percent of voters yesterday, said Andre Simonazzi, a spokesman for the government. The turnout was about 53 percent, he said by telephone from the capital Bern.

I dont rule out that Muslim communities in Switzerland will go to court against this referendum, most probably the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, said Farhad Afshar, president of Coordination of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland in Bern. Muslims in Switzerland wont feel welcome after this referendum.

The ban is the latest example of Europes struggle to adapt to or assimilate Muslim immigrant communities. In 2005, a Danish newspapers publication of a cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb in his turban prompted protests in Muslim nations and a boycott of Danish products.

Campaigners for the ban argued that minarets are symbols of religious and political power that will pave the way for the eventual introduction of Sharia law in Switzerland. About 5 percent of the countrys 7.8 million people are Muslim. There are four minarets in the nation.

The government and most Swiss lawmakers had opposed the initiative. The Justice Ministry contended a ban on new minarets would violate freedom of religion as well as Switzerlands international human-rights commitments and fundamental rights under the Swiss constitution.

Contradicts Human Rights

Polls before the referendum had indicated the measure wouldnt win approval.

The result contradicts human rights, in particular the freedom of worship, and it contradicts the European Convention on Human Rights, said Andreas Gross, a member of the Swiss parliaments house of representatives and president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

He called the result of the referendum a slap in the face to everyone who has an idea of human rights. This is clearly the result of a lack of information and political education in Switzerland.

Gross said the countrys political parties and media had failed to inform Swiss citizens and, as a result, the voters have been misdirected by their emotions. The foundations of Switzerlands direct democracy have failed.

Fears of Fundamentalism

The Federal Council respects this decision, the government said in a statement. Consequently, the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted. The four existing minarets will remain. It will also be possible to continue to construct mosques. Muslims in Switzerland are able to practice their religion alone or in community with others, and live according to their beliefs just as before.

Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said yesterday the outcome of the vote reflected fears about Islamic fundamentalist tendencies.

These concerns have to be taken seriously, she said in the statement. The Federal Council has always done so and will continue to do so in future. However, the Federal Council takes the view that a ban on the construction of new minarets is not a feasible means of countering extremist tendencies.

The SVP said the referendum outcome clearly shows the unease of Swiss voters about a creeping Islamization of Switzerland and is a clear mandate to the government. The rule of law must be enforced for everyone living in our country. Those who dont stick to our rules forfeit the right to live here.

One of the countrys four minarets is in Geneva and another is in Zurich.

Pro-ban posters showing a black-veiled figure standing next to a Swiss flag covered in missile-like minarets were outlawed in several cities on the grounds that they were discriminatory.

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• minarets

[NoMoreHonorKillings]

Switzerland for the Swiss not dirty towel headed Muslims from third world shit holes.

[2noonereally]

"Muslims won't feel safe anymore" 1:33

Well how does that feel?? Because that's how all non-muslim feel in Europe, fear!

Maybe shouting death to Europe, burning flags, mob violence, sharia law, honor killing, riots, abusing every freedom to impose their religious, turning the place into a Saudi landscape... maybe, just maybe, are NOT the way to integrate.

There are many Islamic countries, but only ONE Sweden!

[jojo1ukuk]

ban church dome because its represents as nuclear bombs in the muslim world.

[htfcm]

@sanajeya That's actually wrong. Islam would have no problems with that. The Saudi government is another story.

[Th31nsurg3nt]

@sanajeya there are churches and synagogues everywhere in the muslimn world, look in pakistan, there are churches and cathedrals found all around

[ThatMaximesTune]

Wow, i want to go to Sweden, you guys get things done, unlike my shitty little island (UK)

[sanajeya]

Well done Switzerland... You have exposed the double standards of Islamic thought... Islam doesn't believe in tolerance or respect for other people's rights (try building a church or synagogue in Saudi Arabia) but are perfectly willing to exploit the tolerance that other people show towards them in good faith....

Shame on these hypocrites!!!

[rickru1]

lol. dont try to change the meaning to make it look acceptable. i gave u the verse and source where its stated, now ur crying "misquotation"? give me a break,. it may be considered weak to u but to all other "TRUE" muslims its considered very strong.

but now ur changing the subject. i just proved the oppression in the koran.

[ybybz]

(CHECK ALL MY COMMENTS) "Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him" how so? when the Quran clearly states, "let there be no compulsion in religion" 2:256 another thing..misquotation! It says,"whoever changes his religion kill him" then that would apply to Christians & Jews,then no 1 can convert to Islam & this hadith is not supported by other hadiths,its considered weak plz watch these videos watch?v=Q_oKXh2oy8E watch?v=-SL2Y1HxvrI&NR=1 watch?v=sN8_CQXEc9Q also check my following comments

[rickru1]

lol. r u kidding? there r so many evil oppressive verses in the koran.

Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him. (Hadith Al Buhkari vol. 9:57 Take not the Jews and Christians for friends ... slay the idolaters [infidels] wherever ye find them. ...Fight against those who ... believe not in Allah nor the Last Day (Sura 5:51; 9:5,29,41).