Imogen Calderwood
CATALUNYA’S plan to ban the burka is going ahead, after a controversial ruling from a European court.
Ramon Espadaler, Interior Minister for Catalunya, said the ban is not an attack on religious freedom, as wearing helmets and masks in public will also be forbidden.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that banning the veils does not breach human rights laws – basing its decision on a test case in France.
A new French law means citizens are not allowed to cover their faces in public places.
But a French woman in her mid-20s, who is a devout Muslim, complained that the new law – which came into force in 2011 – was discriminatory against religion, sex and ethnic origin.
But the European Court decided that promoting respect for the conditions in which people ‘live together’ in public places was a legitimate aim and did not breach the convention.
Following this ground-breaking ruling, Austria, Norway and Denmark may also follow suit.
The ban is expected to be approved at the end of summer.
Quite agree, if you are a female in one of their countries you cannot walk around in shorts, so they should fall in line with Spain, Too many terrorists can cover themselves up now and this is a good disguise. Face recognition software is no good if they can cover themselves up.
I’m sorry but this is nothing but fear of what one doesn’t understand. I feel it is totally against one’s religion and the comparison to wearing a helmet in public…seriously?
Yeeesss! If Muslims want to live in western cultures – then fit in. When we go to Muslim countries we damn well have to fit in. It’s about respect for the culture you’re living in.
Oh course it is a fear of the unknown !
Here in Barcelona, Catalunya, it could be a Uruguayan vampire wandering about under it all.
Probably the right thing to do.
Lets hope UK sees sense and follows this now……….
The burka is not a part of the teachings of the prophet Muhammed, there is no reference to it in the Koran.
Interesting to note that this awful insult to women did not exist in Al-Andaluz the apex of Islamic culture and if this great civilization had not been destroyed by Christian savages it would never have been allowed in that forward looking environment – The burka was created in 14th century Turkey.
If I visit a country with a different culture to mine and I do not/cannot accept their values it is very easy – I leave.
If you don t like the burka-ban, go live in a country where the charia is in place….but don t change the country you are a guest in…You have the right to believe what you want.but don t fore your mid-evil primitiv habbits to me…i am Belgian, and here in Spain i speak spanish or catalan, and follow the culture …
How does this hurt you physically, how does this hurt you financially(because let’s be real, this is what a lot of people worry about)? I thank my lucky stars I get to teach, travel, live and study other cultures around the world to truly understand what is what and not based on speculation and fear.
p.s. I see a lot of other people not changing their ways when they move(not visit) to another country. Also, the wearing of a cross is not paramount in the Bible either… Just saying.
The security threat is too high to allow women to cover their faces
I really have no symathy for the arguement that it is a religious requirement
I agree, they should adjust to the country in which they are living in.
The problem in this age is security and who knows who is under the cover whether male or female they need to be identified…………….