Ban on ritual slaughter ‘clashes with freedom of religion’

During Eid al-Adha, or Festival of the Sacrifice, Muslim families are required to slaughter an animal, usually a sheep. The religion requires the animal to be slaughtered when it is conscious – without stunning it first.

The Council said that banning ritual slaughter obstructs the requirements of religious rituals followed by both Jews and Muslims and represents a “disproportionate breach of the freedom of religion”. The Council does agree that steps have to be taken during ritual slaughter to limit the suffering of the animal.

“This is very disappointing advice that demonstrates the kind of social vision of a decade ago,” Weyts said. “I consider it the duty of a decent society to avoid animal suffering wherever possible. This does not affect my ambition for a general ban on ritual slaughter.”

Fellow N-VA party member and parliament fraction leader Matthias Diependaele called the advice “out of touch”. “You can’t just ignore advice from the Council of State, but I completely disagree with it. They are making a connection that is illogical and that is out of touch with reality.” Animal welfare, he continued, “is a compelling social requirement” sufficient to overrule religious considerations.

Weyts, Flanders’ first animal welfare minister, did ban the slaughter of animals without stunning them outside of official, licensed slaughterhouses last year. This meant that the temporary slaughter facilities normally opened to cope with the demand during Eid could not operate.

The official slaughterhouses could not keep up with demand, leaving many Muslims unable to fulfil religious requirements. Muslims in Flanders were excused of the duty to slaughter an animal last year because of the lack of facilities. A group of Muslim organisation filed suit against the ban, which is still pending. Eid begins on 11 September this year.

Photo courtesy benweyts.be