The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Investigation opened against Lucerne imam

People praying in mosque
According to the Sonntagszeitung newspaper, the 38-year-old Iraqi made the remarks during a speech at a Friday prayer session at the Kriens mosque, near Lucerne, at the beginning of August Keystone / Peter Schneider

The Office of the Attorney General of Lucerne has opened an investigation into an Iraqi imam at the Dar Asalam mosque in the town of Kriens. The man is alleged to have advised followers to beat their wives if they disobey them. 

The procedure was opened following an article recounting the incident in the SonntagsZeitung newspaperExternal link on October 6, the prosecutor’s office told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Monday.

According to the newspaper, the 38-year-old Iraqi made the remarks during a speech at a Friday prayer session at the Kriens mosque, near Lucerne, at the beginning of August. 

The man, who is presumed innocent until a final decision is made, purportedly suggested disciplining women with physical violence if other methods such as discussion or taking separate beds fail. He also reportedly called for respect for sharia law.

SonntagsZeitung reported that the imam arrived in Switzerland in 2007, where he filed an asylum request that was rejected. He was reported to have received an F residence permit which allows foreigners to be provisionally admitted to the country in cases where it is impossible to send them back home for specific reasons.

He was one of four Iraqis tried by a Swiss court in 2016 for alleged support to the Islamic State militant group. The other three people tried were all found guilty, while he was acquitted.

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Higher direct payments do not stop scrub encroachment on alpine pastures

More

Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures

This content was published on The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.

Read more: Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey

More

Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey

This content was published on In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.

Read more: Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
Millionaires prioritise well-being over material possessions

More

High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions

This content was published on The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.

Read more: High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
Spanish flu: virus genome deciphered a century later

More

Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus

This content was published on Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.

Read more: Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

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.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR