| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Belgian committee votes for full Islamic veil ban |
| 2010-04-01 |
| A Belgian parliamentary committee has voted to ban face-covering Islamic veils from being worn in public. The home affairs committee voted unanimously to endorse the move, which must be approved by parliament for it to become law. Such a vote could be held within weeks, correspondents say, meaning that Belgium could become the first European country to implement a ban. France is also considering restricting face-covering veils. There are several types of headscarves and veils for Muslim women - those that cover the face being the niqab and the burka. The BBC's Dominic Hughes reports from Brussels that there are about 500,000 Muslims in Belgium, and the Belgian Muslim Council says only a couple of dozen wear full-face veils. Several districts of Belgium have already banned the burka in public places under old local laws originally designed to stop people masking their faces completely at carnival time. The wording of the draft law approved by the parliamentary committee says the ban would apply to areas accessible to the public - which would include people walking in the street or using public transport - and would be enforced by fines or even prison. Denis Ducarme, from the Belgian centre-right Reformist Movement that proposed the bill, said he was "proud that Belgium would be the first country in Europe which dares to legislate on this sensitive matter". A colleague, Corinne De Parmentier, said: "We have to free women of this burden." |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #4 Progress from across the pond. Yet more evidence that Europe is getting tougher, even as Barry & Holder want us to be more relaxed. At some point they're going to surpass us. sigh. |
| Posted by: lex 2010-04-01 16:13 |
| #3 "We have to free women of this burden." Fashion Police It's not just about style anymore. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2010-04-01 16:12 |
| #2 ION PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > NIQAB VEIL BAN CONTROVERSY BECOMING A FLASHPOINT IN CANADA [amongst Muslims, Muslims-vs.CAN Govt]. * SPACE WAR > OFFICIAL: EUROPEAN DEFENCE ALLIANCE IS DISSOLVED [Post-WW2, Pre-NATO WEU Agreement]. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-04-01 02:56 |
| #1 This is not entirely accurate. A veil is allowed if one also wears pants backwards and with the belt loop below their ass cheeks. A sideways pointed Glock is optional. |
| Posted by: ed 2010-04-01 01:20 |