The Estonian Interior Ministry has sent a reminder to the country’s Islamic Center about the strict procedure for slaughtering animals for religious purposes, writes ERR News.
On the 20th of April, the Interior Ministry sent a letter to the Estonian Islamic Center, reminding it that, according to Estonian law, religious slaughter of animals, including for the production of halal meat, is permitted only in official slaughterhouses and under strict veterinary supervision. The letter was sent to invite the Islamic Center to remind individuals in the Muslim community who are involved or intend to engage in religious slaughter of animals about the current legislation before the Eid al-Adha. The ministry emphasized that ignorance of the law does not exempt from responsibility.
The letter states that a religious community registered in Estonia may slaughter farm animals for religious purposes without prior stunning only if it takes place in a slaughterhouse, the meat of the animal is intended for community consumption, and a representative of the authorities is present at the time of slaughter.
The reason for sending the letter is an incident that occurred in Lääne-Viru County last June,
where the Agricultural and Food Board (PTA) and the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) had to intervene in connection with the illegal slaughter of animals. In response to the report received, the PTA detected illegal slaughter of sheep for religious purposes in the village of Aseriari. The officers found 24 skinned sheep carcasses on their property and two more unskinned sheep carcasses in a barn. Innards and animal offal were also found. The sheep had been slaughtered and processed with the aim of selling the meat to consumers in the Islamic community.
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, is one of the two main Islamic holidays, and this year it will take place from the 26th of May to the 30th of May.
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