(RTTNews) - Switzerland is facing international criticism and charges of intolerance after the Alpine country voted by a clear majority a referendum banning construction of minarets on mosques, which right-wing parties regard as symbols of militant Islam.

The United Nations joined expressions of dismay after Sunday's vote and warned that the vote restricted religious freedom and violated Switzerland's international treaty obligations.

Asma Jahangir, the world body's special investigator on religious freedom, said the ban marked "clear discrimination" against Switzerland's Muslim minority community and urged the government to take necessary measures to fully protect their religious freedom.

"As also stated by the United Nations Human Rights Committee a month ago, such a ban is contrary to Switzerland's obligations under international human rights law," she said in a statement released by the world body.

The Vatican said the Swiss vote oppressed religious freedom, even as the government moved to assure Muslims it was not a rejection of their religion.

Criticisms also came from across the Muslim world with Pakistani religious groups condemning it as "extreme Islamophobia."
Religious leaders in Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, castigated the referendum as a manifestation of religious "hatred" but urged a restrained response.

"This is the hatred of Swiss people against Muslim communities," said Maskuri Abdillah, head of the 40-million-member Nahdlatul Ulama. "They don't want to see a Muslim presence in their country and this intense dislike has made them intolerant."

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), called the ban an "example of growing anti-Islamic incitement in Europe by the extremist, anti-immigrant, xenophobic, racist, scare-mongering ultra-right politicians who reign over common sense, wisdom and universal values."

The move was also largely condemned elsewhere in Europe with its top human-rights watchdog saying possible violation of fundamental liberties arising from the Swiss ban on minarets could see the heavily-criticized vote overturned.

The Council of Europe (CoE) said the issue raised concerns of whether "fundamental rights of individuals, protected by international treaties, should be subject to popular votes."

In a statement Thorbjorn Jagland, CoE's Secretary-General, suggested that a case may be made to seek a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights condemning Switzerland for violating freedom of expression, freedom of religion and prohibition of discrimination.

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