Anti-Islamic politicians and right-wing tabloids are frothing with rage after Europe's leading Human Rights body unanimously declared that banning the Burqa is unacceptable. The Council of Europe stated that outlawing religious veils would deny women "who genuinely and freely desire to do so" the right to cover their faces.
The Council is the parent body of the European Court of Human Rights, which enforces the European Convention on Human Rights. Therefore, any member state of the Council - which represents 47 European countries - that tried to ban the Burqa (religious face veil) could find itself subject to expensive lawsuits brought by victims of such laws. The news will affect Burqa-banning attempts by Belgium, France, Spain and the Netherlands
UKIP leader, and anti-Islamic politician, Lord Pearson said: "This vote just highlights the disconnection between the appointed politicians of the Council of Europe and the peoples of Europe. They refused to represent the people's wishes, preferring to hold them in contempt."
However Junaid Bhatti, Chief Editor of MuslimPolitics.com, welcomed the news, saying: "This is a great victory for those who believe in immutable rights for individuals. Clearly right-wingers across Europe, on the street and in the Parliaments, will be very upset as they rather enjoy demonising and persecuting minorities. I welcome this declaration. It sends a clear message that legislative attempts to remove the rights of minority groups are immoral and unacceptable. As for Lord Pearson, he seems to think that human rights should only be applied as long as they are popular. That is an incredibly foolish outlook and I would expect better from a Parliamentarian."
Prior to the Council of Europe's declaration, Belgium was expected to become the first European nation to ban the Burqa. The country's Lower House of Parliament voted unanimously for a ban on wearing "clothing that hides the face" in a public place. However, the law will not come into effect unless agreed by the Upper House of Belgium's Parliament.
The Council of Europe has also slammed the Swiss ban on the construction of Islamic minarets following last year's a nationwide referendum. Right-wing politicians claimed the minarets represented militant Islam, and their campaign increased public animosity towards the 400,000 Muslims - approx 5%of the population - living in Switzerland.
Both resolutions were approved by MPs from 47 European nations including a British delegation. The Council ruled a general ban on face veils would impede the rights of women. "There should be no general prohibition on wearing the burqa and the niqab or other religious clothing," the Council said.
However, the Council also stated that a woman should not be "compelled to wear religious apparel by her community or family" as that would also constitute a criminal denial of human rights.
The Council did state that there could be limited situations where the banning of face veils could be justified such as "for security purposes or where the public or professional functions of individuals require their religious neutrality, or that their face can be seen".
The Council's ruling was part of a report on Islam, Islamism and Islamophobia that was approved in Strasbourg yesterday. The group also called on European governments to educate Muslims, their families and communities on their human rights and to encourage them to take part in "public and professional life".
Now made up of 47 nations, and founded by Sir Winston Churchill in 1950, the Council of Europe is the continent's human rights watchdog and oversees the European Court of Human Rights.
BELGIUM TO BAN THE BURQA SOON
Thursday, 26 May 2011 14:47 | Written by |
2011-05-25 21:40
Brussels - Belgium will soon become the second country in Europe to ban the burqa in public places, after the parliament approved legislation forbidding full veils, the bill's author said on Wednesday.
The legislation quietly cleared the Senate last week after it was overwhelmingly approved by the lower chamber of deputies last month, when only one Green lawmaker voted against it and two abstained.
The new law will take effect 10 days after it is published in Belgium's official journal, in around one month. France became the first European country to ban the burqa on April 11.
The Belgian legislation, drafted by liberal lawmaker Daniel Bacquelaine, bans all clothing that hides the face.
"It is a law that takes into account a fundamental principle, the equality between men and women," Bacquelaine told AFP.
"Moreover, if we want an open society, the visibility of the face is essential. Humanity comes from one's face," he said.
Lawmakers first voted for the legislation in April 2010, but it was shelved after the government fell following legislative elections two months later.
Only a few hundred women in Belgium are believed to wear the burqa, a full body veil, or the niqab, which hides the face.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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