Swiss vote to ban minarets

Voters in Switzerland have endorsed a wholesale ban on minarets via a referendum. The vote followed a campaign against the towers spearheaded by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the largest party in parliament, which says minarets are a sign of Islamization. Though the government opposed the ban, 57 per cent of voters and 22 out of 26 cantons (or provinces) voted in favour of it, meaning minarets can no longer be erected anywhere in Switzerland. However, according to Amnesty International, the new rule could be short-lived. The human rights group claims the law violates freedom of religion and expects it to be overturned by the Swiss supreme court or the European Court of Human Rights.

BBC News