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Council of Europe slams Swiss minaret ban

30 November 2009 20:51 (UTC +04:00)

According to the statement, the ban on the construction of new minarets is linked to issues such as freedom of expression, freedom of religion and prohibition of discrimination guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.

Therefore it would be up to the European Court of Human Rights to decide, should an application be submitted to the Court, whether the prohibition of building new minarets is compatible with the Convention, reads the statement.

Lluis Maria de Puig, the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, also expressed concern about the decision taken in Switzerland,

" Although it expresses the popular will, the decision to ban the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is a source of profound concern . The result of this referendum goes against the values of tolerance, dialogue and respect for other people’s beliefs," he added.

Some 57.5% of those who cast their ballot voted in favour of banning the building of the towers, which are attached to mosques from where Muslims are traditionally called to prayer, amid a turnout of 53 percent.