Parliament of Baden-Württemberg passes burial law
March 31, 2014
The parliament of the German State Baden-Württemberg has passed the burial law to legalize religious burial rituals. The Minister of Integration Bilkay Öney (SPD), interpreted the law as a positive signal for religious diversity. Prior to that law, Muslims were not permitted to bury their members without a coffin. In order to ensure a Muslim burial, Muslims would be obliged to send their relatives to the country of origin. Muslims will be allowed to bury their members according to the Islamic rituals in a shroud. More than 600.000 Muslims are living in the State of Baden-Württemberg.
This issue started in 2012 when Minister Öney, Muslims associations, Jewish associations, the churches, scientists, municipalities and administrative authorities of the cemeteries gathered in an official hearing to begin a debate about this topic.
Migazin: http://www.migazin.de/2014/03/31/baden-wuerttemberg-sargpflicht-aufgehoben/
