French court upholds six-month closure of mosque in Aulnay-sous-Bois

A French administrative court has upheld a six-month closure order against the Chanteloup mosque in Aulnay-sous-Bois, keeping the facility closed until January, after authorities raised concerns over sermons and religious teachings delivered there.

The order, issued by Seine-Saint-Denis prefect Julien Charles, was challenged by representatives of the mosque. The Montreuil Administrative Court ruled that the prefect "did not commit a serious and manifestly illegal infringement of either the freedom of worship or the freedom of expression."

Authorities cited imams' use of seven passages from the Quran and references to traditional Islamic works, including The Garden of the Righteous and The Forty Hadiths by 13th-century Islamic scholar Imam al-Nawawi, says the Middle East Eye.

Officials also objected to sermons that referred to "hell" and "punishments of the grave" in relation to "unbelievers". Such themes, however, also appear in other religious traditions.

The court found that the prefect's decision did not amount to a "serious and manifestly illegal infringement" of religious or expressive freedoms.

Rafik Chekkat, a human rights lawyer representing the mosque, criticised the ruling and said he would appeal to France's Council of State, the country's highest administrative court. "In France, can an imam still quote the Quran in the mosque where he preaches?" he said.

"We will file an appeal before the Council of State to defend religious freedom, freedom of expression, and the principle of secularism," Chekkat said, adding that he was "very disappointed by the decision and very surprised by its content".

Chekkat said he would "obviously" take the case to the Council of State and questioned whether the administrative court's decision was driven more by political considerations than legal reasoning.

"I understand that the administrative judge did not want to contradict the prefect of Seine-Saint-Denis," Chekkat said. "Now I think that before the Council of State we will have a little more chance, it will be a little more legal and a little less political."

The case comes amid broader scrutiny of Muslim places of worship and organisations in France. According to figures cited in the case, 22 mosques were closed during an 18-month period ending in April 2022, while several Muslim organisations were also dissolved.

The dispute highlights the continuing tension in France between the state's secularism principles and protections for freedom of worship and expression.