A liberal Muslim group in Austria has called on the Austrian authorities to keep a watchful eye on what is going on at a Saudi-financed religious dialogue centre in Vienna, which it alleges is being infiltrated by radical Salafists and Muslim Brotherhood members.
Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz has openly criticized Saudi Arabia over its human rights record, saying that Austria considers the death penalty to be an "inhuman punishment".
Ensaf Haidar, the wife of jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, has called on the Austrian government to close a Saudi-financed dialogue centre in Vienna, and to help end her husband’s suffering and save him from further floggings.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly outraged by the debate around a religious dialogue centre it has financed in Vienna, according to diplomatic insiders quoted in Austrian media.
A government report into a Saudi-financed religious dialogue centre which has its headquarters in Vienna has found that the centre is “flawed” and recommended reforms, but warned that closing it could violate international law.
Around 80 people gathered outside Vienna's controversial Saudi-financed religious dialogue centre on Friday, to protest against the flogging of blogger Raif Badawi.
Austria's chancellor threatened Tuesday to withdraw support for a Saudi-financed religious dialogue centre unless it condemns the public flogging of a Saudi blogger that has sparked an international outcry.
Former Justice Minister Claudia Bandion-Ortner, the deputy head of a Saudi-sponsored religious dialogue centre in Vienna, has resigned amidst a controversy over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and the centre’s role in Austria.
Austria will be unable to close a controversial Saudi-funded centre in Vienna without the consent of co-founders Saudi Arabia and Spain - although it could block any decision on its budget this year.
Vienna’s School Board has threatened a controversial private Saudi School with closure by the end of the 2014/2015 school year, after it failed to provide the names of its director and teachers.
Leaders of Christian, Muslim and other religious communities from Iraq, Syria and the larger Middle East region have met at a Saudi-funded centre in Vienna and have denounced all violence in the name of religion.
Vienna’s Saudi School - a private school for Islamic immigrants from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East - is under review by the city council after allegations that it is teaching conspiracy theories and anti-Semitism.
The Austrian government has said it will be observing the activities of a Saudi-funded centre in Vienna, which is supposed to foster inter-religious dialogue, before extending its contract next year.
Former Austrian justice minister Claudia Bandion-Ortner, herself a judge, is also deputy director of a Saudi-funded centre in Vienna for fostering inter-religious dialogue.
