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Communiqué 07112011-0044

Bern, 07.11.2011

This morning, the Islamic Central Council of Switzerland received the OSCE delegation at its headquarters in Bern for a round-table discussion on “Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims”.

The delegation was headed by Ambassador Adil Akhmetov of Kazakhstan who is appointed as Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims.

The discussions which lasted for over two hours addressed a number of issues specific to the case of Switzerland.  The Central Council representatives shared information with regard to a handful of exceptional cases of hate crime that had been present in Swiss society as a result of the rise in Islamophobia. In addition, they stressed particular concern for the vast number of subtle forms of discrimination at all levels of society. In particular, women have become highly vulnerable because of their Islamic coverings (hijab, niqaabs, burkas) and have found it challenging to participate in community life because of constant denial or obstruction to the job market.

Hannah Sarpong of the European Muslim League (EML) highlighted the structural differences between the political system of Switzerland and other European countries. Thus, a typical top-down policy in combating discrimination against Muslims in Swiss society is not necessarily the most productive in a context where societal members have much more fluidity in influencing policy, most notably with the minaret ban.

Human rights as a frame of reference

The delegates recommended a greater emphasis on human rights in the public debate concerning Muslims in Switzerland. Ultimately, no country can ignore this discourse. The Council reaffirmed its position for the State to acknowledge the minaret ban as a clear violation of human rights, which has not been the case yet.