In February, the secularism law was accepted by over 55% of voters in canton Geneva. Among the provisions covered by the law is a ban on wearing religious symbols by elected officials and public servants.
An appeal to suspend this provision was rejected by the Constitutional Chamber of the Geneva Court of Justice and communicated to the public on Monday. The ban on wearing religious symbols remains effective until further notice.
The appeal was made by the extreme left SolidaritéS movement and several Muslim women and focused primarily on “the issue of the ban on working in public service wearing an Islamic veil”. One of the claimants is directly affected by the law.
In April, the same court had temporarily suspended the provision after an appeal by the Green Party. One of its elected members at the municipal level wore a veil and had to participate in sessions from the public gallery.
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Geneva secularism law approved by voters
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Voters in Geneva have endorsed a law on ties between the government and religious communities.
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Should Switzerland end its ban on blasphemy?
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The European Court of Human Rights says the Prophet Mohammed may not be called a paedophile. This kind of statement also risks a fine in Switzerland.
Religious recognition in Switzerland—a cantonal affair
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A multicultural society is often a multi-religious one. How can Switzerland best manage its growing diversity and the frictions which can arise?
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.