FRANCE: Muslim officials in France have criticized a recent decision to interdict the slaughter of poultry animals in line with Islamic principles ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.
Paris Mosque director Chems-eddine Hafez, Lyon Mosque director Kamel Kaptane and Evry Mosque director Khalil Maroun issued a joint statement, saying that the French Agriculture and Food Ministry’s circular dated November 23, 2020, sends a negative message to the Muslim in the country ahead of Ramadan.
According to the new rule, the Islamic slaughter of poultry animals will be barred in France as of July 2021. The three administrators of Mosques conveyed their concerns to the relevant ministry, however, did not receive any concrete results, the joint statement noted.
“These precautions are a severe complication preventing people from freely practicing 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 Islamic 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.
However, there is also some disagreement over which form of slaughter causes the animal more pain, with some arguing that a stun gun can be more painful than an expertly applied cut to the animal’s neck.
Halal meat, slaughtered according to Islamic norms, is a booming market in France and the growing demand for it on school, hospital and company canteen menus has already caused tension and misunderstandings between Muslims and non-Muslims.
