Greece launches large-scale shutdown of illegal mosques in Athens

Athens authorities have initiated a large-scale operation to shut down some sixty unauthorized places of worship, mostly mosques, across the Greek capital. The measure is part of a wider effort to enforce new legislation governing the licensing and operation of religious sites, with a focus on security and law and order. This is reported by Helleniscope.

The operation follows the adoption of a new legal framework that sets strict requirements for permits, building safety, compliance with urban planning regulations and the legal status of those managing religious sites. All places of worship that do not meet these criteria are considered illegal and are subject to immediate closure.

Greek officials note that many of the identified mosques were operating in basements, apartments, warehouses, and other non-designated locations, without proper security checks or official authorization. Such conditions, authorities say, pose a threat to public safety and remove these facilities from any institutional oversight.

Coercive measures include sealing the premises and initiating administrative and criminal procedures against the operators. In cases involving foreign nationals, residence permits may be revoked and deportation procedures activated. One such case, already publicized, involved the arrest of a Bangladeshi national for running an illegal mosque in the center of Athens, after which authorities promptly revoked his legal status in the country.

While some media and social media posts have linked many of the illegal mosques to Bangladeshi and Pakistani migrant communities, Greek officials have not published an official breakdown by nationality, emphasizing the legality of the premises rather than ethnicity. The government insists the operation is not targeting any particular religion, stressing that the law applies equally to all unauthorized places of worship, regardless of religion.

Officially recognized and legally operating places of worship, including the official mosque in Athens, remain unaffected. Authorities say the measures are part of a broader effort to strengthen the rule of law, ensure public safety and combat irregular activities related to illegal immigration.

The operation is ongoing and further updates are expected as inspections and enforcement actions are conducted throughout the city.

As a reminder, we previously reported that the Austrian Parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill to ban headscarves (hijabs) in schools for girls under the age of 14. The decision, called a «historic milestone» by the government, is intended, they say, to protect young girls from oppression. However, it has drawn sharp criticism from the Islamic Religious Community of Austria (IGGÖ), which intends to challenge it in the Constitutional Court.