A media article, states that a Muslim couple was refused Swiss citizenship because they refused to shake hands with people of the opposite sex.
According to the Swiss authority, they refused to grant the couple citizenship because they did not respect gender equality. – A load of garbage
Muslims do not shake hands with the opposite sex because of their religious beliefs. So when I, read in the article that the Mayor states that ‘freedom of belief and religion is, enshrined within the Swiss law, but religious practice does not fall outside the law. – I am perplexed and confused by that statement.
In my opinion, this is double standards at its worst. How can you say beliefs and religion is part of the Swiss law then penalise the couple for following their religious beliefs. The Swiss cannot have their cake and eat it, either you are against the religious beliefs of Muslims, or you are not.
If you are against their beliefs or deemed them illegal then, of course, refusing them citizenship on those grounds would be seen as appropriate. But, if their religious beliefs are not unlawful under the law then withholding citizenship from them would be in my opinion, a violation of their religious rights.
The Swiss need to make it clear whether their refusal or legitimate and covered under the law because to say that they did not respect gender equality, is ridiculous and a poor excuse at best.
