Denmark Reopens Review of Nationwide Adhan Broadcast Ban

The Danish government has announced a renewed effort to introduce a nationwide ban on the public broadcast of the Islamic call to prayer, known as the Adhan. Immigration Minister Morten Bodskov said on Thursday that the government would reopen a legal review to determine if such a prohibition can be implemented without violating constitutional protections for religious freedom.

This marks the third attempt by Danish authorities to establish a legal framework for a ban, following similar efforts in 2020 and 2025. Explaining the government's position, Bodskov argued that the public broadcast of the Adhan has no place in Danish society. He stated that the call to prayer should not be heard over Danish rooftops and warned against what he described as creeping Islamisation occupying too much public space.

The Adhan is traditionally broadcast five times daily from mosque minarets via loudspeakers to summon Muslims to prayer. While there is currently no nationwide ban, local restrictions already exist. In Copenhagen and several other municipalities, stringent noise regulations effectively prevent mosques from broadcasting the call outdoors. The Grand Mosque of Copenhagen also refrains...