Why did Austria close 7 mosques and expel 60 imma

It is seen as a step against political Islam: Austria closes 7 mosques and ousts a series of Turkish imams from the country. “parallel societies, political Islam and the radicalisation trend have no place in Austria”, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said with some ministers before journalists. The basis for this step creates a law on Islam in Austria, which in its first form exists from 1912 to Austria, with which it is the oldest in Europe.

Austrian “Model is a particular historical case”, says lawyer and Islamic scholar Mattias Rohe for Deutsche Welle”. Austrians have had a relatively homogenic Muslim community in Bosnia and Herzegovina before 100 years. From 1887, Vienna administered this region, and since then Emperor Franz Joseph I stated that “all the sons of this country enjoy the same right before the law, all are protected in their lives, their faith, in their wealth”. All prominent churches and religious communities should be equal in the Danube monarchy.

Islam “with Austrian seal”
In 2014, then Interior Minister Sebastian Kurz offered a new law on Islam. A year later he went into effect. New regulations envision an Austrian „stamping”, and aim to prevent radicalisation of Muslim youth. Among other things, this law stipulates that glass associations should not be financed from abroad. The message of this law is clear, as Sebastian Kurz put it: „there is no controversy between being a Muslim believer and a proud Austrian.” And the other: Austrian laws have a priority over religious law.

Now after a verification, close closes the close-closed mosques with the “Turk-Islamic Union for Cultural and Social Co-operation in Austria” (ATIB). The closure also affects a mosque of the far right-right Grid “waters in Vienna that stood out with several online publications of war installations, where protagonists were children. ATIB allegedly supports Turkish nationalism. But according to government plans, 60 imma must leave the country, a high figure if you see that there are about 260 immas all over Austria. The main charge is receiving funds from abroad.

“Great skepticism to Islam”
For jurist Matthias Rohe of Erlangen University, one of the most renowned experts for Islam's legal position in Germany and Europe, recent developments in Austria must be seen with reservations. Austria has an exaggerated law since 2015, possibly violating the European Convention on Human Rights”. According to Rohes behind the law lies a political “based on great scepticism towards Islam”.

Rohe doesn't believe this will happen in Germany. Developments in Austria cannot be compared to the legal situation in Germany. Because German law begins with the individual's personal attitude of faith and in this context may be linked to certain religious communities. Only for state recognition as a religion and issues of financing or religious care in the army or prisons has established criteria. A religious community recognition has difficulty.

“State may be friendly associate”
Rohe recalls the Muslim group” Ahmadiya Muslim Jamaad”, known as the religious community. So it's possible to know as a religious community, Rohe says. „The state may be a friendly companion, but it also needs to withstand extremism”. Germany well follows that direction. But even in Germany, mosques can be closed if laws are violated or worked against the German constitution.

Turkey reacted
Austria's decisions were criticised in Turkey as hostile to Islam and racist. Austrian polytologist Thomas Schmidtinger thinks that the government's actions at this time could have an impact on votes that Turks living abroad will give and that they go in favour of Turkish President Erdogan. According to Schmidter, the ban would be the educational measures against religious extremism. / DW