Prison imam fights Muslim radicalisation
Muslims make up about 5% of the Swiss population, and one in three prisoners worship Allah. But only a few jails allow imams to visit. The regional jail in Bern is one of them.

I have a wealth of experience as a journalist working in Switzerland and enjoy producing videos, articles and podcasts on a range of subjects, recently focused mainly on politics and the environment. Born in the UK, I studied law at Nottingham University, then went on to attend the first-ever post-graduate radio journalism college in London. After working as a radio journalist in the UK and then Switzerland from 1984 to 1995, I returned to the UK to complete a post-graduate diploma in film at Bournemouth Film School. I have been working as a video journalist ever since.
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DeutschdeWie in Schweizer Gefängnissen gegen Radikalisierung gekämpft wirdRead more: Wie in Schweizer Gefängnissen gegen Radikalisierung gekämpft wird
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FrançaisfrComment lutter contre la radicalisation dans les prisons suissesRead more: Comment lutter contre la radicalisation dans les prisons suisses
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ItalianoitL’imam che combatte la radicalizzazione islamica in prigioneRead more: L’imam che combatte la radicalizzazione islamica in prigione
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EspañolesUn imán busca evitar la radicalización en la prisiónRead more: Un imán busca evitar la radicalización en la prisión
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PortuguêsptImame luta contra radicalismo na prisãoRead more: Imame luta contra radicalismo na prisão
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РусскийruКак имам борется с радикализацией заключенныхRead more: Как имам борется с радикализацией заключенных
Mustafa Memeti visits once a week, acting as an intermediary between the prison authorities and Muslim inmates. He offers support and spiritual solace, speaking to inmates about religion, family life and their personal problems.
The imam is also there to try and stop the radicalisation of prisoners. Extremist ideologies can flourish in prison through the recruitment of vulnerable, disenchanted people. Prison director Monika Kummer describes what she sees as warning signals: “If somebody suddenly grows a beard, stops listening to music or watching TV, we begin to look a bit more closely.”
Memeti says that when he sees signs of radicalisation, he tries to talk the inmates out of it. “I tell them it’s a way of misusing religion. As a theologian and priest, I present arguments and facts. I try to convince them that what they are thinking is not real life.”
Serbian-born Memeti has lived in Switzerland since 1991, and became a Swiss citizen in 2005.
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