France Closes One Mosque Again Over Separatist Accusations

Paris, MINA – The French government announced they would again close a mosque. Media reports said the closure of the Obernai Mosque in the Bas-Rhin region was because its Imam was accused of extremism, taking anti-French positions and making provocative comments against republican values.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has started the process of closing the mosque. A tweet from Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 23 mosques had been closed by the government over the past two years, on suspicion of being linked to “separatist activities”, Middle East Monitor reported on Thursday.

He added President Emmanuel Macron had called on the authorities to combat such activities.

France has been criticized by the international community, NGOs and human rights organizations, especially the United Nations, for targeting and marginalizing Muslims.

On January 24 this year, a special committee in the French parliament approved a controversial bill known as “Strengthening respect for republican values”, which was first defined as “the war against separatist Islam”.

The bill was criticized for targeting Muslims in France and imposing restrictions on almost all aspects of their lives.

The bill also seeks to portray some of the rare problems as if they were chronic. In addition, the bill also stipulates that mosques and associations responsible for their management are monitored by the authorities, and the funding of Muslim civic organizations is monitored.

French Muslim families have restrictions imposed on them, with regard to the right to educate their children at home, as headscarves are prohibited in pre-university educational institutions. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)