Switzerland Implements Face-Covering Ban

January 2, 2025 TruthUSA

Switzerland has joined a number of European countries in implementing either full or partial restrictions on face veils.

Starting on Jan. 1, Switzerland has enforced a ban on face coverings in public places, commonly referred to as the burqa ban.

The ban was overwhelmingly approved by the legislature in 2023, following a narrow vote by Swiss citizens in a national referendum to prohibit face coverings in public spaces and private buildings accessible to the public.

The law applies not only to ski masks and bandannas but also to Islamic women’s garments like the niqab, which covers most of the face except for the eyes, and the burqa, which covers the entire body with a mesh screen over the eyes. However, it does not impact the hijab, which covers the hair, neck, and ears.

Individuals who violate the ban may face fines of up to 1,000 Swiss francs, approximately $1,144. Certain exceptions to the ban exist for health, safety, local customs, or weather-related reasons.

Face coverings remain permissible on airplanes, in diplomatic and consular premises, and places of worship.

Critics of the ban argue that very few individuals in the country actually wear burqas or niqabs and that a nationwide ban would violate the rights of individual Swiss cantons. Conversely, supporters believe that face veils are incompatible with Swiss societal norms and hinder integration into Swiss culture.

“The fundamental principles of peaceful coexistence and integration are at risk,” remarked Marco Chiesa, chairman of the Swiss People’s Party, in a 2021 interview prior to the referendum. “In Switzerland, we communicate by looking each other in the eye. Therefore, certain symbols of radical Islam should not be allowed here.”

Switzerland now joins a growing group of European nations that have imposed similar restrictions. France, Switzerland’s neighboring country, was the first EU member to ban the burqa and niqab in public spaces in 2010, labeling them as symbols of women’s oppression.

Other countries like Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands have also enacted either full or partial bans on full-face veils. While some states in Germany prohibit face veils in schools and public areas, there is no nationwide ban on wearing them publicly.

In 2021, the highest court of the EU ruled against two Muslim women in Germany who were suspended from work for wearing hijabs, stating that employers have the right to require employees not to wear religious clothing if they have public-facing roles.

“A ban on wearing any visible manifestation of political, philosophical, or religious beliefs at work may be justified by the employer’s need to maintain a neutral image with customers or to avoid social conflicts,” declared the European Court of Justice announced.

“However, this justification must correspond to a genuine need of the employer, and in balancing the rights and interests involved, national courts may consider the specific context of their member state and any more favorable national regulations on protecting religious freedom.”

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