Burqa Set to Be Banned in Belgium


London, Apr 30 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Belgium is all set to become the first European country to ban the burqa in public after the country's lower chamber of parliament approved a bill.

A total of 134 lawmakers voted Thursday in favour of the ban. Two members abstained but no one voted against.

Under the new law, women are prohibited from wearing full-face Islamic garments, such as 'burqa' or 'niqab' on streets, parks, sports grounds and buildings "meant for public use or to provide services".

The offender will face a fine of 15-25 euro ($28-$47) and a prison term of up to seven days.

The ban was imposed on the grounds that the wearer is not fully identifiable and therefore could be a threat to public security.

Supporters of the law have said the new law will be useful in the fight against terrorism and also give more rights to Muslim women.

Municipalities in several cities in Belgium have already introduced a similar ban.

France and Austria are also considering a similar ban on burqa.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Abdul, mangalore

    Sat, May 01 2010

    FYI most of the women who wear burqa do it on their own wish and it is not forced onto them.I totally agree that covering the face can be a threat but not burqa as such. Burqa should be confined to Islamic countries where it it allowed. If burqa to be banned then the dress Nuns wear should be banned too

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Hubert, Mangalore/Sydney, Australia

    Fri, Apr 30 2010

    It`s a very sensible move, which should have been done ages ago. Wearing the so called burqa or niqab is dehumanising or degrading the women and curtails their rights, and in a way, it`s a sort of punishment to them, if they mandatorily have to wear it, specially in the scorching sun and humiditory conditions, and I hope more and more countries will take a leaf from the Belgium example and follow their lead. The reason given by the Belgium authorities that the wearer is not fully identifyable and it would be a threat to the public security makes quite a sense, specially in this modern era of terrorist attacks.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • manish, India

    Fri, Apr 30 2010

    very good decision I think it must be banned on whole earth

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


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