Some weeks ago, we received an email from a reader which posed a question to which I would like to respond. I will set the question out in general terms: if a Muslim woman attends court proceedings in hijab, can the judge in control of that courtroom demand that she remove it or leave the(…)
The Conseil Constitutionnel, France’s Constitutional Court, handed down its ruling yesterday on the constitutionality of the legislative prohibition on the wearing, in public space, of “any dress intended to cover the face” . This does not directly refer, but is nonetheless broadly intended as encompassing, the Islamic burqa and niqab – the objects of much polemic(…)
This post features an interview with Prof. Sherene Razack, conducted by our regular blogger Mairead Enright. Sherene Razack is professor, Sociology and Equity Studies in Education, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. Her most recent book is entitled Casting Out: The Eviction of Muslims From Western Law and Politics.(…)
Following months of bruising polemic and debate, the French National Assembly – the lower house of parliament – has, as expected, overwhelmingly approved legislation prohibiting face-coverings in public spaces. Although phrased in facially neutral terms, the measure is broadly understood as being directed at the Islamic burqa and niqab. The bill will be debated in(…)
As signalled by SATC2, the burqa is losing none of its attraction. In Australia, a Christian Democratic MP, the Reverend Fred Nile, has tabled a bill aimed at prohibiting women from wearing the burqa which will be debated by the New South Wales Parliament in September, despite opposition from the Premier. Elsewhere in Australia, the(…)
We have written about France and the veil several times (see here) but, unfortunately, this issue is not going away. There seems to be a new development every week. Last Wednesday, the French government approved a draft law banning the wearing of garments which cover the face in public spaces. It is clear from the(…)
On International Women’s Day, the EU Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg released a viewpoint which argued against restrictions on women’s religious dress. He stated that: Those who have argued for a general ban of the burqa and the niqab have not managed to show that these garments in any way undermine democracy, public safety,(…)
The French Conseil d’État, in its capacity as advisory body rather than as administrative court of final appeal, yesterday issued a lengthy report, on the request of the Prime Minister, on the “legal possibilities surrounding the prohibition of the full veil.” This follows controversy and debate in France in recent months surrounding the wearing of(…)
UPDATES on Wednesday: Here are links to some of the best commentary on the Gerin Report from today’s papers: Raphael Liogier in the Guardian locates the partial ban within a broader crisis of French identity. The Financial Times calls the partial ban an example of ‘Republican bigotry‘ while the NYT claims that ‘the Taliban would(…)
Jean-François Copé (pictured left), of the conservative French political party, the UMP, has recently tabled legislation that would make wearing the burqa or niqab in public an offence punishable by a fine of 750 euro. The draft text reads: “No one may, in spaces open to the public and on public streets, wear a garment or an(…)
