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European Court of Human Rights Backs Belgium Ban on Niqab | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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A European rights court upheld on Tuesday Belgium’s ban on the niqab. (Reuters)


Strasbourg – The European Court of Human Rights supported on Tuesday Belgium’s ban on the full-face veil, niqab, in public places, deeming it “necessary” in a democratic society.

The court ruled that the restriction sought to guarantee social cohesion, the “protection of the rights and freedoms of others,” a statement said.

It had already ruled on a challenge to the French law in 2014 when it also rejected arguments that the restriction breached religious freedom and individual human rights.

France was the first European country to ban the niqab in April 2011.

The Belgian case was brought by two Muslim women, Samia Belcacemi, a Belgian national, and Yamina Oussar, a Moroccan.

Both women said they chose of their own free will to wear the niqab and claimed their rights had been infringed and the law was discriminatory.

After Belgium introduced the ban, Belcacemi continued wearing the veil for a while but stopped because of social pressure and fears she would be fined.

Oussar told the court that she had decided to stay at home, the statement from the court said.

Belgium banned the wearing of the full-face veil under a June 2011 law. It prohibits appearing in public “with a face masked or hidden, in whole or in part, in such a way as to be unidentifiable”.

Violations can result in fines and up to seven days in jail.