The Catalan Parliament has passed a law governing houses of worship in the region. The law has a triple objective: to facilitate the exercising of the right to freedom of worship, to provide support to city councils when guaranteeing this right and to ensure adequate conditions with regards safety and hygiene in places of worship. It thus obliges city councils to set aside spaces for religious use and also a municipal license for the opening and use of places of worship. Mohamed Halhoul, spokesperson for the Islamic Cultural Council of Catalonia, said the new policy is useful and necessary to ensure religious freedom and the fundamental right to worship. He stressed the law requires municipalities to provide public land for religious facilities, also to minorities.
