Swiss minaret ban condemned by Vatican

The Vatican has condemned the Swiss ban on the construction of Islamic

 minarets as a 'blow to freedom of religion'.

Muslim groups in Switzerland and abroad have condemned the vote as anti-Islamic. Photo: AP

The comment by a Vatican spokesman followed criticism from across Europe.

On Sunday voters in Switzerland voted yes to a referendum which bans the building of minarets on top of mosques used by the country's small Muslim minority.

He said it was a "negative" move because banning the construction of Muslim mosque towers amounts to "oppressing a religion".Earlier on Monday the French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, said he was "scandalised" by the Swiss decision and said it represented a "show of intolerance" by France's neighbour.

He told France's RTL radio: "I hope that the Swiss will go back on this decision rather quickly."

Muslim groups in Switzerland and abroad condemned the vote as anti-Islamic.

In staunchly secular France, legislators are holding discussions that could lead to a ban on the burka - the face-covering Islamic veil.