5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

News

Home

World

Video
Africa

Sport

World

Weather

Shop

US&Canada

Asia

Australia

UK

Europe

Earth

Travel

Business

More

Tech

LatinAmerica

Science

Magazine

Entertainment&Arts

More

MiddleEast

TheIslamicveilacrossEurope
1July2014 Europe

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

1/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

CountriesacrossEuropehavewrestledwiththeissueoftheMuslimveilinvarious
formssuchasthebodycoveringburkaandtheniqab,whichcoversthefaceapart
fromtheeyes.
Thedebatetakesinreligiousfreedom,femaleequality,seculartraditionsandeven
fearsofterrorism.
TheveilissueispartofawiderdebateaboutmulticulturalisminEurope,asmany
politiciansarguethatthereneedstobeagreaterefforttoassimilateethnicand
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

2/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

religiousminorities.

France
FrancewasthefirstEuropeancountrytobanthefullfaceIslamicveilinpublicplaces.
FrancehasaboutfivemillionMuslimsthelargestMuslimminorityinWesternEuropebut
itisthoughtonlyabout2,000womenwearfullveils.
AsPresident,NicolasSarkozy,whoseadministrationbroughtintheban,saidthatveils
oppresswomenandwere"notwelcome"inFrance.
Underthebanthattookeffecton11April2011,nowoman,Frenchorforeign,isableto
leavetheirhomewiththeirfacehiddenbehindaveilwithoutrunningtheriskofafine.

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

3/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

HeadscarvesareallowedatFrenchuniversitiesbutnotschools

Thepenaltyfordoingsoisa150euro(133,$217)fineandinstructionincitizenship.
Anyonefoundforcingawomantocoverherfacerisksa30,000eurofine.
TheFrenchInteriorMinistrysaid,asofSeptember2012,425womenhadbeenfinedand66
hadbeenwarnedforviolatingtheheadscarfban.
TheEuropeanCourtofHumanRightsupheldthebanon2July2014afteracasewas
broughtbya24yearoldFrenchwomanwhoarguedthatthebanviolatedherfreedomof
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

4/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

religionandexpression.
MostofthepopulationincludingmostMuslimsagreewiththegovernmentwhenit
describesthefacecoveringveilasanaffronttosociety'svalues.Criticschieflyoutside
Francesayitisaviolationofindividualliberties.
AbanonMuslimheadscarvesandother"conspicuous"religioussymbolsatstateschools
wasintroducedin2004,andreceivedoverwhelmingpoliticalandpublicsupportinacountry
wheretheseparationofstateandreligionisenshrinedinlaw.

Belgium
AlawbanningthefullfaceveilcameintoeffectinBelgiuminJuly2011.
Thelawbansanyclothingthatobscurestheidentityofthewearerinplaceslikeparksand
onthestreet.

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

5/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

VeiledwomeninBelgiumhavestagedprotestsagainsttheban

InDecember2012,Belgium'sConstitutionalCourtrejectedappealsforthebantobe
annulled,rulingthatitdidnotviolatehumanrights.
Beforethelawwaspassed,theburkawasalreadybannedinseveraldistrictsunderoldlocal
lawsoriginallydesignedtostoppeoplemaskingtheirfacescompletelyatcarnivaltime.

Spain
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

6/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

ThoughtherearenoplansforanationalbaninSpain,thecityofBarcelonaannounceda
banonfullIslamicfaceveilsinsomepublicspacessuchasmunicipaloffices,publicmarkets
andlibraries.
AtleasttwosmallertownsinCatalonia,thenortheasternregionthatincludesBarcelona,
havealsoimposedbans.

BarcelonawasthefirstmajorcityinSpaintobanthefullfaceIslamicveilinpublicbuildings

ButabaninthetownofLleidawasoverturnedbySpain'sSupremeCourtinFebruary2013.
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

7/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

Itruledthatitwasaninfringementofreligiousliberties.
Barcelona'scitycouncilsaidthebantheretargetedanyheadwearthatimpeded
identification,includingmotorbikehelmetsandbalaclavas.

Britain
ThereisnobanonIslamicdressintheUK,butschoolsareallowedtodecidetheirown
dresscodeaftera2007directivewhichfollowedseveralhighprofilecourtcases.

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

8/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

ManyIslamicgroupsseeabanonfullfaceveilsasdiscriminationagainstMuslims

InJanuary2010,thenSchoolsSecretaryEdBallssaiditwas"notBritish"totellpeoplewhat
towearinthestreetaftertheUKIndependencePartycalledforallfacecoveringMuslim
veilstobebanned.
InSeptember2013,HomeOfficeMinisterJeremyBrownecalledfora"nationaldebate"
aboutIslamicveilsinpublicplaces,suchasschools.
In2014UKIPcamefirstintheEuropeanelectionsinBritain,winning24seatsinBrussels.
UKIPleaderNigelFaragehaspreviouslysaidthatfullveilsareasymbolofan"increasingly
dividedBritain",thatthey"oppress"women,andareapotentialsecuritythreat.

TheNetherlands
PlanstoimposeabanintheNetherlandsunderthecountry'spreviouscentrerightcoalition
wereshelvedin2012whenthegovernmentcollapsedandwasreplacedbyitsleftwing
rivals.
TheearlierproposedbanreflectedtheinfluenceoftheantiIslamistGeertWilders,whose
Freedompartywasatthattimethethirdlargestinparliamentandtheminoritycoalition
government'schiefally.

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

9/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

PopulistpoliticianGeertWilders,oftheantiimmigrationFreedomParty,wantstougherpoliciesonIslam

Attemptstointroducesimilarlegislationin2006failed.Lawyerssaiditwouldprobablybe
unconstitutionalandcriticssaiditwouldviolatecivilrights.
Around5%oftheNetherlands'16millionresidentsareMuslims,butonlyaround300are
thoughttoweartheniqab,whichleavestheeyesuncovered,ortheburka,whichcovers
themwithaclothgrid.Thewearingofheadscarvesisfarmorecommon,however.

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

10/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

Turkey
Formorethan85yearsTurkshavelivedinanofficiallysecularstatefoundedbyMustafa
KemalAtaturk,whorejectedheadscarvesasbackwardlooking.

TurkishPrimeMinisterRecepTayyipErdogan'swife,Emine,wearsaheadscarf

Scarvesarebannedincivicspacesandofficialbuildings,buttheissueisdeeplydivisivefor
thecountry'spredominantlyMuslimpopulation,astwothirdsofallTurkishwomen
includingthewivesanddaughtersoftheprimeministerandpresidentcovertheirheads.
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

11/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

In2008,Turkey'sconstitutionwasamendedtoeaseastrictbanatuniversities,allowing
headscarvesthatweretiedlooselyunderthechin.Headscarvescoveringtheneckandall
envelopingveilswerestillbanned.
InOctober2013,Turkeyliftedrulesbanningwomenfromwearingheadscarvesinthe
country'sstateinstitutionswiththeexceptionofthejudiciary,militaryandpolice.
ThegoverningAKParty,withitsrootsinIslam,saidthebanmeantmanygirlswerebeing
deniedaneducation.Butthesecularestablishmentsaideasingitwouldbeafirststepto
allowingIslamintopubliclife.

Italy
SeveraltownsinItalyhavelocalbansonfacecoveringveils.Thenorthwesterntownof
Novaraisoneofseverallocalauthoritiestohavealreadybroughtinrulestodeterpublicuse
oftheIslamicveil.
GovernmentshavediscussedextendingthelawtoimposepenaltiesonMuslimface
coverings,butthesehavenotyetbeenenforcednationally.

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

12/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

ThissigninVarallosaysthattheBurqa,NiqabandBurqiniarenotallowedbycommunaldecision

In2004localpoliticiansinnorthernItalyresurrectedoldpublicorderlawsagainstthe
wearingofmasks,tostopwomenfromwearingtheburka.
SomemayorsfromtheantiimmigrantNorthernLeaguehavealsobannedtheuseofIslamic
swimsuits.

Denmark
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

13/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

In2008,thegovernmentannounceditwouldbarjudgesfromwearingheadscarvesand

similarreligiousorpoliticalsymbolsincludingcrucifixes,Jewishskullcapsandturbansin
courtrooms.

ThousandsofpeopleacrosstheMuslimworldprotestedagainstDenmarkin2006overthepublicationofa
controversialcartoondepictingtheProphetMuhammad

ThatmovecameafterpressurefromtheDanishPeople'sParty(DPP),knownforitsanti
Muslimrhetoric,whichhassincecalledforthebantobeextendedtoincludeschool
teachersandmedicalpersonnel.
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

14/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

AfteraDanishpaperpublishedacontroversialcartoonin2005depictingtheProphet
Muhammadasabeardedmanwithabombinhisturban,therewereaseriesofprotests
againstDenmarkacrosstheMuslimworld.

Germany
Thereisnonationallawrestrictingthewearingofveils.
InSeptember2003thefederalConstitutionalCourtruledinfavourofateacherwhowanted
towearanIslamicscarftoschool.

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

15/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

However,itsaidstatescouldchangetheirlawslocallyiftheywantedto.
AtleasthalfofGermany's16stateshavegoneontobanteachersfromwearing
headscarvesandinthestateofHessethebanappliestoallcivilservants.

Russia
Russia'sStavropolregionhasannouncedabanonhijabsthefirstofitskindimposedbya
regionintheRussianfederation.TherulingwasupheldbyRussia'sSupremeCourtinJuly
2013.
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

16/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

InChechnya,theauthoritieshavedefiedRussianpolicyonIslamicdress.In2007President
RamzanKadyrovtheproMoscowleaderissuedanedictorderingwomentowear
headscarvesinstatebuildings.ItisadirectviolationofRussianlaw,butisstrictlyfollowed
today.
PresidentKadyrovevenvoicedsupportformenwhofiredpaintballsatwomendeemedtobe
violatingthestrictdresscode.

Morethan16millionMuslimsliveinRussia

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

17/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

Switzerland
Inlate2009,SwissJusticeMinisterEvelineWidmerSchlumpfsaidafaceveilbanshouldbe
consideredifmoreMuslimwomenbeginwearingthem,addingthattheveilsmadeherfeel
"uncomfortable".
InSeptember2013,65%oftheelectorateintheItalianspeakingregionofTicinovotedin
favourofabanonfaceveilsinpublicareasbyanygroup.
ItwasthefirsttimethatanyofSwitzerland's26cantonshasimposedsuchaban.

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

18/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

SwissMuslimwomenprotestedagainstthecantonalvoteinTicinoonbanningfacecoveringveils

SharethisstoryAboutsharing

Moreonthisstory
WomeninfaceveilsdetainedasFranceenforcesban
11April2011

Chechnyawomen'sIslamicdresscode:Russiablamed
10March2011

BarcelonatobanIslamicveilsinsomepublicspaces
15June2010

Belgianlawmakerspassburkaban
30April2010

WhyMuslimwomenweartheveil
5October2006

MoreEuropestories
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

19/25

5/6/2015

TheIslamicveilacrossEuropeBBCNews

Pilot'hadtriedAlpscrashdescent'
33minutesago

Germanarrestsover'terror'plot
4hoursago

Merkelofferstotestifyinspyrow
4hoursago

MoreVideosfromtheBBC

Alpinesnowmelt

HailstormsweepsthrougheasternChina

Chernobylforestfirecontained

RiskoflandslidesinNepal

AshfromChile'sCalbucovolcano

Chile'sCalbucovolcanoroarsintolife

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldeurope13038095

20/25