Featured Image: A campaign poster for the Swiss referendum | Credits: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters
In a referendum held on Sunday (local time), Switzerland voted in favour of banning full facial coverings, including the niqab and burqa, in almost all public places, reports Livemint. As many as 51.21 per cent of the voters voted in support of the proposal banning the burqa and the niqab.
Although the Swiss media referred to the referendum’s proposal as the “burqa ban”, the proposal does not mention Islam specifically.
Facial coverings will now be banned in all publicly accessible places, including on the streets, in public offices, on public transport, in restaurants, shops and in the countryside.
However, Muslim women would be able to cover their faces at places of worship, in situations where it is necessary for health and safety reasons, and in situations where it is “local custom” such as carnivals. It should be noted though that there will be no additional exceptions, for instance, to tourists.
The proposed ban received opposition from Swiss religious organizations, human rights and civic groups and the federal government. The Swiss Federal Council, which serves as the country’s federal government, and the Swiss Parliament had actually advised people to vote against it.
In 2011, France banned burqas and niqabs in public places, becoming the first country in Europe to outlaw facial coverings in public places. The European Court of Human Rights upheld the ban in 2014.
In Switzerland, the referendum comes after years of debates on the issue. Twelve years ago, another referendum had outlawed the construction of minarets in Switzerland.
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