A French court has upheld a six-month closure order against a mosque, renewing concerns about state control over Islamic belief and worship. The Montreuil Administrative Court rejected a request to suspend the order against the Chante-Loup mosque in Aulnay-sous-Bois near Paris.
In its Friday ruling, the court said the mosque would remain closed until January under an order issued in July.
Human-rights lawyer Rafik Chekkat, representing the mosque, criticised the decision. He said part of the French authorities’ case concerned imams quoting seven Quranic verses and important works of Islamic tradition in religious sermons, including writings by 13th-century Syrian scholar Imam al-Nawawi. He questioned whether imams in France are free to quote Quranic verses and Islamic books.
Chekkat said they would appeal to the State Council to defend religious freedom, freedom of expression and France’s secular principles.
French authorities also objected to some sermons that referred to hell for unbelievers and punishment in the grave. Critics say Muslim institutions are being singled out even though similar religious teaching occurs in other places of worship.
The court said Seine-Saint-Denis prefect Julien Charles had not seriously or manifestly violated worship or expression freedoms by ordering the closure.
Chekkat said the ruling conflicted with religious freedom and hoped the State Council would examine the matter more deeply. The US-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned the decision and urged the US State Department to do the same.
CAIR said no government has the right to close a church, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship merely because sacred texts are read or quoted. It called the closure over Quran recitation or religious speech religious discrimination and persecution.
Debate has continued over state surveillance and pressure on Muslim institutions in France. Critics allege security laws have restricted Muslims’ religious freedom. In January 2020, France closed at least 73 mosques and private Islamic schools citing efforts to combat what it described as extremism.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report