As Hijab Row Snowballs in Karnataka, A Look at Nations that have Made Face Veils an Offence

Protests for and against the ?hijab? intensified in various colleges of Karnataka on Tuesday with state?s Home Minister Araga Jnanendra appealing for peace. All eyes are now on the Karnataka High Court which has begun hearing the petition filed by five girls studying in a Government Pre-university College in Udupi, questioning hijab restriction in college.

A section of Muslim girls is demanding permission wearing headscarves to college, while the state government has cracked the whip making uniforms mandatory for students attending classes in educational institutions.

As the controversy heats up, here’s a look at countries that have banned face coverings, including hijabs, burqas, full face helmets and balaclavas.

SWITZERLAND

Switzerland banned the ‘burqa’ in March 2021 after a far-right proposal to ban facial coverings won a narrow victory in a binding referendum on Sunday. The proposal was put forward by the same group that organised a 2009 ban on new minarets. The measure to amend the Swiss constitution passed by a 51.2-48.8% margin, provisional official results showed. While the bill is being touted as ban on Islamic system of veil and burqa, the proposal also aims to stop violent street protesters from wearing masks. “In Switzerland, our tradition is that you show your face. That is a sign of our basic freedoms,? Walter Wobmann, chairman of the referendum committee and a member of parliament for the Swiss People’s Party, had said before the vote. Facial covering is “a symbol for this extreme, political Islam which has become increasingly prominent in Europe and which has no place in Switzerland,? he said. Muslim groups condemned the vote and said they would challenge it.

NETHERLANDS

In Netherlands, a face covering in public can invite a fine of at least €150. The ban, which came into force in August 2019, applies to burqas, veils fullface helmets and balaclavas. The ban came into place here after 14 years of debate.

FRANCE

In 2011, France banned face coverings with “Law of 2010-1192: Act prohibiting concealment of the face in public space”. The act was passed by the Senate of France on 14 September 2010. The act banned wearing of face-covering headgear, including masks, helmets, balaclavas, niqābs and other veils covering the face in public places. The ban also included the burqa if it covers the face. The ban was highly debated in the public as people raised concerns over immigration, nationalism, secularism, security, and sexuality. The advocates of the ban said face coverings hindered the clear identification in terms of security risk and ‘forcing’ women to cover their face under Islamic practices was sexist and oppressive. Opponents of the ban said that it encroaches on individual freedoms and targeted Muslims for their beliefs.

 SRI LANKA

The country’s Cabinet cleared a proposal in April 2021 to ban all forms of face veils in public places “due to national security concerns”. The move came at a time when the Sri Lanka government was urging people to wear face masks in public to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The government had, however, said that the move was only in the form of a proposal and there was no reason to implement it in a hurry.

BELGIUM

Full face coverings, including burqas, in public are banned in Belgium since 2011. People violating the law can face a fine or up to seven days in jail. However, Belgium only has around a million Muslims and out of those, only 300 wear burqa or niqab.

CHINA

In 2017, China banned burqas, veils and “abnormal” beards in a predominantly Muslim Xinjiang province in what it claimed was a “crackdown on religious extremism.” The ordinance, which also forced people to watch state television, focused on outer garments that covered full body, including the face.

DENMARK

In Denmark, the burqas were first banned in August 2018 months after validating the law in May that year. The law imposes a fine of up to €135 for offenders.

AUSTRIA

In Austria, the law mandates that people should make their face visible from hairline to chin, under the law known as Law against Wearing Face Veils. The ban has been in place since 2017. Violators of the law face a fine of up to €150.

BULGARIA

In Bulgaria, the burqa ban has been in place since 2016 with violators facing a fine of up to €750. However, it has made exemptions for people playing sport, at work or in a house of prayer.

EUROPEAN UNION

In July last year, European Union’s highest court upheld a 2017 ruling allowing employers in Europe to forbid women from wearing headscarves to work. The ruling was met with massive criticism and human rights activists and Muslim nations condemned the decision, saying it would encourage Islamophobia.

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