Islamic umbrella organisation demands Swiss lift minaret ban

Thu, 10 Dec 2009

Geneva - The organization representing 56 Islamic nations on Thursday called for the lifting of Switzerland's minaret ban, passed in a controversial referendum last month. The Geneva-based Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said it feared that the ruling could set a precedent for other European countries.

Other symbols of Islam, not just minarets, were in danger of being banned, the organization said.

Ambassadors of the OIC nations appealed to Swiss United Nations ambassador Dante Martinelli to lift the ban, Pakistani UN ambassador Zamir Akram told journalists in Geneva.

"The Swiss authorities must use all constitutionally available and legal possibilities to make the result of this referendum void," said Akram.