November 2, 2010 Minister of the Interior of France, Brice Hortefeux, has announced that between the 1st of January and September 30th, 2010, almost 500 cemeteries have been vandalized across France. Hortefeux explained that 485 cemeteries and religious sites were vandalized, 410 of which were Christian sites, 40 of which were Muslim (of which 34…
In this opinion piece, Atmane Aggoun, sociologist and CNRS researcher, points to the important issue of Muslim cemeteries in France, particularly as the immigrant Muslim population grows older. Fewer Muslims in France seek to be buried in their countries of origin. There are some spaces available at the Thiais cemetery (in Val-de-Marne) outside of Paris….
Eight Muslim tombs within the municipal cemetery of La Manche were desecrated October 22. The tombs were located in Montjoie-Saint-Martin, Normandy and covered with Nazi-related symbols. All eight tombs were of Moroccan soldiers who died in service of France during the Second World War.
Local and National Muslim offices attended the opening of the first Muslim cemetery, to be created in the southern Italian region of Puglia. Notable persons including Mustafa Mansouri and Souad Sbai were planned to be in attendance, and the creation of the Muslim cemetery is considered to be an important breakthrough. “I believe such an…
