A German court has rejected a legal bid by a 16-year-old Muslim student to have the right to conduct prayers at his school, reports say.
The court in Berlin ruled on Thursday against Yunis' bid to pray, stating that it would upset peace in the school, and abuse students' rights to the entitlement of a calm and educational environment, Reuters reported.
The maintenance of an academic school environment takes precedence over the student's right to religious observance, the appeals court said, Press TV reported.
"The Islamic prayer ritual has a demonstrative character and serves as social control," a Berlin Senate official said in favor of the ruling.
"This is a good day for the Berlin school," school director Brigitte Burchardt said after the verdict.
She said the decision would reduce potential conflict that may arise in the school.
Last year the same pupil had initially been given the right to pray once a day in the same school. This year a higher Berlin court overturned that judgment.
With Germany holding more than four million Muslims, such a ruling imposes a heavy burden on the country's Islamic prayer conducting community, the Spiegel Online said.