Minaret vote weakens Switzerland’s human rights stance: UN

GENEVA - The Swiss referendum approving a ban on construction of minarets puts the country on “a collision course with its international human rights obligations,” a UN official warned Tuesday.

Sunday’s vote was a surprise both domestically and internationally and left many Swiss concerned that the decision would make their country look intolerant.

“I hesitate to condemn a democratic vote,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a press statement in Geneva.

“But I have no hesitation at all in condemning the anti-foreigner scare-mongering that has characterized political campaigns in a number of countries, including Switzerland, which helps produce results like this.”

She went on to condemn the ban as “discriminatory, deeply divisive and a thoroughly unfortunate step for Switzerland to take.”

Pillay further noted that legislation that bans a form of architecture clearly linked to one particular religion is discriminatory.

“Some of the politicians who proposed this motion argued that it wasn’t targeting Islam or Muslims,” she said, noting that the Swiss government had not campaigned for the referendum.

“Others claimed that banning minarets would improve integration. These are extraordinary claims when the symbol of one’s religion is targeted.”

The referendum was supported by more than 57 percent of voters. A spokesman from Pillay’s office said Monday that the referendum would be reviewed for its legality. The Swiss government is required to implement the successful referendum.