The United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday slammed Switzerland's recent vote to ban minarets in the country.

Navi Pillay said the decision was a result of "anti-foreigner scare-mongering," but stopped short of calling it illegal.

Pillay said the move puts Switzerland on a collision course with international law.

On Sunday, some 2.67 million Swiss people voted 57.5 to 42.5 per cent in favour of the initiative, which bans the construction of minarets on mosques. Voters in only four of the country's 26 cantons, or states, opposed the proposal, paving the way for a constitutional amendment.

The nationalist Swiss People's Party, the largest party in parliament, had pushed for the national vote after labelling the mosque towers as symbols of militant Islam.

Meanwhile, the government of Turkey, which wants to become the European Union's first Muslim member, said the ban violates basic human rights and freedom.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry called the vote results disappointing and unfortunate.

Turkey called on Switzerland to change the decision, and pointed out that 100,000 Turks live and work in Switzerland.

The ban would not affect the four existing minarets in Switzerland.

With files from The Associated Press