Dutch Cabinet Approves Partial Ban on Burqa
May 22, 2015The Dutch cabinet on Friday approved a partial ban on wearing the burqa (face-covering Islamic veil), including in schools, hospitals and on public transport, AFP reported.
“Face-covering clothing will in future not be accepted in education and healthcare institutions, government buildings and on public transport,” the government said in a statement after the cabinet backed Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk’s bill.
The ban does not apply to wearing the burqa on the street, but only “in specific situations where it is essential for people to be seen” or for security reasons, Prime Minister Mark Rutte told journalists after the cabinet meeting.
“The bill does not have any religious background,” Rutte said, according to AFP.
The government said it had “tried to find a balance between people’s freedom to wear the clothes they want and the importance of mutual and recognizable communication.”
A previous bill banning the burqa even on the street and dating from Rutte’s last government, which was supported by lawmaker Geert Wilders, will be withdrawn.
The government said it “sees no reason for a general ban that would apply to all public places.”
Those flouting the ban can be fined up to 405 euros (around $450).
State broadcaster NOS said that between 100 and 500 women in the Netherlands wear the burqa, most of them only occasionally.
The Dutch government said it would send its draft law to the highest court in the Netherlands, the Council of State, for its opinion.
That opinion and the bill’s text will be made public when parliament begins debating the law at a date yet to be decided.
France introduced a ban on women wearing the burqa in 2010, resulting in a handful of arrests since then.
A parliamentary committee in Belgium later voted to ban the burqa as well. Italy has drafted a similar law.
The European Court of Human Rights last year backed the French ban, rejecting arguments that outlawing full-face veils breaches religious freedom.
Under the French ban, women wearing full-face veils in public spaces can be fined up to 150 euros.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)
Similar posts
-
Israel Is Held To A Higher Standard Than Any Country
April 25, 2024In the intricate tapestry of global affairs, one nation stands out for enduring scrutiny and condem...
-
Israel Has The Most Moral Military In The World
April 10, 2024In the heart of a region often riddled with conflict, Israel stands out not only for its technologi...
-
The Resilience of the Israeli People
April 2, 2024Visitors from around the world have seen Hamas's October 7th Massacre's destruction in southern Isr...
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...