In France beginning April 11, the wearing of burqas and niqabs will be banned, resulting in fines of €150 (roughly $200) or community service to any lawbreakers. This ban also applies to anyone that forces a woman or minor to wear the Islamic face-coverings, which is punishable with €30,000-60,000 ($40,000-80,000) fines or a 1-year prison sentence. This ban has sparked a debate over religious freedom in France and has caught the attention of Amnesty International, which claims that the ban violates European human rights. The French government claims that this ban follows the constitution and that the wearing of such face-coverings damages "life in the community", "dignity of the person" and "equality of the sexes." In a recent poll, 82% of the French population voted in favor of the ban, and similar sentiments are held throughout Western Europe.
Mark Zajac
No comments:
Post a Comment