Overview

• Shia worshippers have held weekly outdoor prayers since the July 2024 ban, with around 600 joining the latest demonstration
• The shuttered Blue Mosque at Alsterufer remains under Federal Interior Ministry custody and cannot be used until the prohibition becomes legally final
• The Islamic Center Hamburg’s lawsuit against its ban is pending at the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig without a hearing date and may take years to resolve
• Exiled Iranians want to convert the former mosque into a cultural center; Hamburg’s Schura insists on restoring it as a Shia mosque under new governance
• The Schura is vetting prospective trustees, requiring proof of independence from Iranian influence and a sustainable donation-based funding model