Switzerland considers making it illegal to force a woman to wear a burqa or niqab
By Sara
Malm, Daily Mail, 28 June 2018
Swiss
government propose law to stop women being forced to wear face veils. Would see
anyone who made women wear niqab or burqa jailed up to three years. Switzerland
is due to hold a referendum on a national face veil ban. The government opposes
this, and wants it to be up to individual cantons
government propose law to stop women being forced to wear face veils. Would see
anyone who made women wear niqab or burqa jailed up to three years. Switzerland
is due to hold a referendum on a national face veil ban. The government opposes
this, and wants it to be up to individual cantons
 |
|
New
rules: The law, if passed, would
make it illegal to force a woman
to cover her
face with a religious
veil (file photo)
|
The Swiss
government has proposed making it illegal to force a woman to cover her face
with a religious veil.
government has proposed making it illegal to force a woman to cover her face
with a religious veil.
The law
would see anyone found guilty of forcing a woman to wear a niqab or burqa with
up to three years in jail.
would see anyone found guilty of forcing a woman to wear a niqab or burqa with
up to three years in jail.
It is
widely seen as an attempt to calm the heated debate on whether Switzerland
should ban all face veils in public.
widely seen as an attempt to calm the heated debate on whether Switzerland
should ban all face veils in public.
The issue
is already set to be put to a national referendum after a successful grassroots
movement campaign last year.
is already set to be put to a national referendum after a successful grassroots
movement campaign last year.
Measures
against the wearing of Islamic veils have already been taken in Belgium, France,
Denmark and Spain,
among others, with the Netherlands passing its own ban this week.
against the wearing of Islamic veils have already been taken in Belgium, France,
Denmark and Spain,
among others, with the Netherlands passing its own ban this week.
The Swiss
cabinet does not want a nationwide ban, and has said it should be up to the
individual cantons whether or not they would outlaw religious veils in public.
cabinet does not want a nationwide ban, and has said it should be up to the
individual cantons whether or not they would outlaw religious veils in public.
‘The
government is aware that facial coverings can lead to problems,’ the cabinet
said after a meeting Wednesday
government is aware that facial coverings can lead to problems,’ the cabinet
said after a meeting Wednesday
 |
|
Protection:
The law would see anyone found
guilty of forcing women to wear niqabs
or
burqas, a traditional garment in some Muslim
cultures, with up to three years
in jail |
The group
handed over the signatures to authorities last year, however no date has been
set for the referendum.
handed over the signatures to authorities last year, however no date has been
set for the referendum.
‘Facial
coverings are a symbol of radical Islam that have nothing to do with religious
freedom but are rather an expression of the oppression of women,’ Anian
Liebrand, a Swiss campaign leader, said when presenting the collected
signatures.
coverings are a symbol of radical Islam that have nothing to do with religious
freedom but are rather an expression of the oppression of women,’ Anian
Liebrand, a Swiss campaign leader, said when presenting the collected
signatures.
‘In
Switzerland, we show our faces when we talk to each other.’
Switzerland, we show our faces when we talk to each other.’
Two-thirds
of Switzerland’s 8.5 million residents identify as Christians. But its Muslim
population has risen to 5 percent, largely because of immigrants from former
Yugoslavia.
of Switzerland’s 8.5 million residents identify as Christians. But its Muslim
population has risen to 5 percent, largely because of immigrants from former
Yugoslavia.
Full-face
coverings such as niqabs and burqas are a polarising issue across Europe, with
some arguing that they symbolise discrimination against women and should be
outlawed, and others say bans encroach on religious freedom.
coverings such as niqabs and burqas are a polarising issue across Europe, with
some arguing that they symbolise discrimination against women and should be
outlawed, and others say bans encroach on religious freedom.
The Dutch
upper House of parliament on Tuesday passed a law banning the wearing of
face-covering veils in public buildings, such as schools, government offices
and hospitals.
upper House of parliament on Tuesday passed a law banning the wearing of
face-covering veils in public buildings, such as schools, government offices
and hospitals.
France’s
ban was upheld in 2014 by the European Court of Human Rights. Germany’s
parliament last year backed a ban on full-face veils for civil servants, judges
and soldiers, while Austria and Bulgaria have also banned facial coverings.
ban was upheld in 2014 by the European Court of Human Rights. Germany’s
parliament last year backed a ban on full-face veils for civil servants, judges
and soldiers, while Austria and Bulgaria have also banned facial coverings.
