Harun Nasrullah

Muslim officials in France criticised a recent decision to ban the halal slaughter of poultry as of July. The outrage occurred after a circular by the French Agriculture and Food Ministry’s dated November 23, 2020, was made public on March 19. Paris Mosque Director, Chems-eddine Hafez, Lyon Mosque Director, Kamel Kaptane and Evry Mosque Director, Khalil Maroun, voiced their concerns to the Ministry in an open letter but did not receive any concrete results.

‘These precautions are a serious obstacle preventing people from freely practising their religion,’ the statement read, adding that they are planning to take necessary legal action to restore the ‘fundamental right.’

The Muslim leaders have also discussed the matter with leaders of the Jewish community in France, the report said. France and other European countries, like Belgium, have taken steps against halal meat, while local authorities forced a halal supermarket in a Paris suburb to sell alcohol and pork products.

Some European animal rights campaigners say that the halal and Jewish kosher rules for ritual slaughter are “less humane” than standard European practice because they ban the practice of stunning animals before they are killed.