Islamophobia: Switzerland plans $1000 'burqa ban' fine
Robert Carter
Press TV, London
A draft law aiming to punish anyone caught wearing a full face covering has been proposed in Switzerland. If passed, Muslim women caught wearing a niqab or burqa could be fined up to $1000.
A far-right proposal to totally ban facial coverings in public has already become law. winning a narrow victory in a referendum last year.
The ban was pushed by the Swiss People’s Party. One of its parliamentarians, argued the ban would promote equality between men and women and help fight against so-called Islamic radicalisation.
Muslims organisations have expressed concern over rising Islamophobia in Switzerland and condemned the move as hypocritical.
Laws which negatively affect Muslim women are springing up across Europe. France banned wearing full face veils in public in 2011 while Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands and Bulgaria have full or partial bans on wearing face coverings.
Muslims make up only around 5% of the Swiss population. Yet, how Muslim women choose to dress remains a major obsession of right-wing lawmakers.
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