Belgium bans halal, kosher animal slaughtering practices

The halal and kosher kind of slaughtering involves swiftly slitting the animals throat to kill it

Brussels: Belgium on Monday officially banned kosher and halal animal slaughtering methods. This has led to several lawsuits being filed by Jewish and Muslim leaders in the country stating the ban amounts to religious discrimination. According to Jewish and Muslim traditions, animals need to be in perfect health when they are slaughtered.

This is in contradiction with some European laws that state the animals should not feel pain when they are killed. Belgium has thus instituted a ban on the halal and kosher kind of slaughter. Many animal advocates and right-wing nationalists had advocated for this ban.

Religious activists, on the other hand, have argued that the halal and kosher methods of killing animals are less painful and more humane.

Both Jewish kosher and Islamic halal rituals require the butcher to swiftly slaughter the animal by slitting its throat and draining its blood, a process condemned by animal rights campaigners, who argue it is more humane to stun animals before killing them.

Countries including Denmark, Switzerland and New Zealand already prohibit unstunned slaughter.

No. of Muslims in Belgium
5 lakh