By Fatih Erel
GENEVA (AA): Two Muslim schoolgirls have been denied Swiss citizenship after they refused to participate in mixed swimming lessons for religious reasons, local media reported Tuesday.
The girls, aged 12 and 14, were denied citizenship for failing to comply with education requirements including swimming lessons, Stefan Wehrle, head of the naturalization committee in Basel, told TV station SRF.
Swimming lessons are compulsory in many Swiss schools. “Whoever doesn’t fulfill these conditions violates the law and therefore cannot be naturalized,” Wehrle said.
Engin Yilmaz, who deals with religious matters at the Turkish Embassy, told Anadolu Agency: “It is a basic principle for Islam that every organization or law should value everyone’s religious sensibilities.”
Author Fatih Erel
[Photo: Mosque of the Olten Turkish cultural association at Wangen bei Olten. Photo by Nadf for Public Domain]
DerekJune 29, 2016
No. These rules have been in place for many years and without any major issues. If anyone is seeking refuge in another country then they should be fully aware of and understand that , they are required to comply. If this is an issue, then relocate somewhere that has similar views. It’s very simple.
Rohan HaksarAugust 2, 2016
Derek – That is not a particularly Swiss name. So you are opining on another country in this case in their support which would be fair enough except that I have observed that as a general rule when non-Muslims opine on muslim laws they do so unfavorably. And so the real reason is nothing to do with “when in Rome do as the Romans do’ but rather you believe that your laws are superior to Islamic laws. This is your real objection is it not?
Because the issue has been phrased Islamically you automatically are negative …suppose two little girls were uncomfortable being leered at by boys and preferred to swim only with girls would you accept that was a valid reason ? It is because you deny the principle that God should legislate that even when the end result is reasonable you object . This is the problem and the solution is to simply allow them to swim separately it really isn’t such a big deal is it?