The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has accused Swiss authorities of behaving like “school yard bullies” towards a state school teacher who removed the crucifix from his classroom. Valentin Abgottspon was dismissed from his job as a middle-school teacher in the Swiss canton of Valais on Friday, 8 October. The dismissal came after the teacher raised concerns about the promotion of Christianity by state schools.

In a joint statement with two other NGOs at the UN Human Rights Council on 12 March, IHEU exposed the hypocrisy of the Islamic States who, while attacking the Swiss referendum banning the construction of new minarets “which are no more central to Islam than spires are to Christianity”, chose to completely ignore the oppression of religious minorities, the murder of Christians, and the burning of churches in several of their own countries.

The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB, an IHEU Member Organization) held its second Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 13 December 2009 in London. The AGM unanimously adopted a statement expressing concern over the Swiss vote to ban minarets.

See: the list of IHEU Member Organizations