Bernese imam resigns after forced marriages scandal
Mustafa Memeti speaks at the opening ceremony of the mosque in the House of Religions in 2015
Keystone / Peter Klaunzer
Mustafa Memeti, the imam of the Muslim Association of Bern and responsible for the mosque in the Swiss capital’s House of Religions, has announced he will stand down at the end of April.
Memeti, 62, said in a statementExternal link on Wednesday that with his resignation he also took responsibility for forced marriages in the House of Religions.
In November Swiss public broadcaster SRF revealed that forced marriages had taken place in the House of ReligionsExternal link in Bern and the imam had not checked in all cases whether the requirements for a religious marriage had been met. The primacy of civil marriage, that is, a civil marriage preceding a religious marriage, had therefore been violated.
Memeti wrote that he was “stunned” by the events, condemning forced marriages as a “heinous and great crime”, but that he took responsibility for the “lack of organisation”.
It is not known who performed the forced marriages in the House of Religions. For this reason, the House of Religions has taken legal action and filed charges against unknown individuals.
More
More
Mosque in state-subsidised centre ‘performed illegal forced marriages’
This content was published on
A Swiss mosque, housed in a religious centre that receives state grants, has been accused of playing a role in forcing women into marriages against their will.
“It is important that these events have now become public,” Memeti wrote. “Because the mosque in the House of Religions is not a backstreet mosque, but an important Muslim institution and a place where the public can and must look. For the establishment of a Swiss Islam, there needs to be Muslim communities that are publicly accountable and do not withdraw into parallel worlds.”
Other factors, such as his age and decades of work as an imam, had also led him to resign, Memeti told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA. In addition, there was the heavy workload within the Muslim association and in the House of Religions.
He will formally announce his resignation to the members of the Muslim Association of Bern at their meeting on Saturday.
More
More
What is being done about forced marriages?
This content was published on
When Jasmin D, a young woman of Tamil origin faced a forced marriage, she found support from the Bern city authorities.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Zurich arbitration authority rules in favour of tenants of ‘Sugus Houses’
This content was published on
A conciliation authority says the terminations of 105 flat leases in the so-called "Sugus Houses" in the centre of Zurich were abusive. The tenants therefore do not have to move out - at least for the time being.
This content was published on
Visitors to Switzerland spent CHF19.6 billion ($23.9 billion) last year, a 2.2% rise compared to the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Monday.
This content was published on
Despite the current tense economic situation, Swiss consumer sentiment remains positive. The Swiss spent more money in May than the previous year, particularly on restaurant visits and leisure activities, as shown by the latest figures released by PostFinance.
This content was published on
A bear killed four sheep in the Lower Engadine region near Scuol, canton Graubünden, last week. This was the first bear attack on local livestock in four years.
This content was published on
Experts believe that economic development in Switzerland will be weaker in 2026 than the forecasts made three months ago. They have also lowered their predictions for the current year.
This content was published on
Fewer people in Switzerland have a religious affiliation and the proportion who practice their religion regularly is steadily declining, a survey finds.
Study: trees have major cooling effect even in extreme heat
This content was published on
Plane trees in cities have an important cooling effect even in extreme heat, according to a new study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL).
EPFL launches digitised version of Battle of Murten panorama
This content was published on
To mark the anniversary of the Battle of Murten on 22 June 1476, the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has launched a website that offers the public an immersive experience of the huge panorama painting of the historic battle.
77th Swiss Gymnastics Festival praised for ‘positive energy’
This content was published on
The 77th Federal Gymnastics Festival drew to a close on Sunday in Lausanne, after eleven days of popular celebration and sporting performances.
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.
Read more
More
Bringing the world’s religions together in Bern
This content was published on
With the tip of his spatula, an artist perfects the round of the shoulder of Ganesh. The small god with the elephant head is seated on the knee of Shiva, one of the great Hindu deities. At the foot of the construction, another artist prepares mortar, the noise of his mixing machine drowning out the…
This content was published on
Marriages involving minors must be annulled, according to Swiss law. Exceptions are permitted if it seems to be in the child’s best interests.
‘Religion more likely to result in conflicts than in peace’
This content was published on
As part of the National Research Programme “Religions, the State and SocietyExternal link”, sociologists of religion from Lausanne and St Gallen have gauged the religiosity and spirituality of people in Switzerland. The final report, the most comprehensive study of this topic to date, is now available as a book in GermanExternal link. The researchers subdivided…
This content was published on
Muslims around the world are currently observing Ramadan, a month of fasting. Thousands of Muslims in Switzerland have also been visiting prayer rooms. This is where the imam plays an important role: calling the community to prayer. In March, it was decided that Swiss colleges, together with the Muslim community, would get together and work…
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.