The European Court of Justice ruled Thursday that authorities can order the slaughter of animals before they are killed in a move that is being attacked by Jewish groups as an attack on religious freedom.
The court upheld a ruling imposed in the Flemish region of Belgium banning the slaughter of livestock that had not been dismantled for animal rights reasons.
Hoffy’s Kosher Restaurant in Antwerp, Belgium
(Photo: AP)
The move was seen as banning halal Muslim and kosher Jewish traditions, in which stocks must be aware when their throats slit.
“The court concludes that the measures contained in the command allow a fair balance to be struck between the emphasis on animal welfare and the freedom of Jewish and Muslim believers to express their faith,” “The decision said.
An umbrella group for Jewish groups in Belgium described the decision as a “denial of democracy” that did not respect the rights of minority groups.
European Court of Justice
(Photo: Gettyimages)
“The fighting continues, and we will not accept the case until we have abolished all legal remedies, which is not yet the case,” said Yohan Benizri, head of the Belgian Federation of Jewish Organizations. .
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Jewish Association, said the ruling represented a “difficult day for European Jews”.
“What a terrible message to send to a European Jew, that you and your customs are not welcome here. This is a denial of our rights as European citizens,” he said in a statement.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin
(Photo: Yoni Rikner)
The Belgian Flanders regional government issued the order in 2017 which came into effect in 2019 that abattoirs must maintain stock before disposing of them.
Animal rights activists had pushed for the ban, arguing that animals are insane so that they become unconscious when they are killed more humanly.
Belgian authorities argued that the measure would reduce “suffering” but was widely considered to be aimed at halal Muslim tradition.