Why was the burqa banned in Switzerland: How much population will be affected, which countries already have a ban? Know here

Burqa ban implemented in Switzerland. – Photo:channel24india.com

Why is there a ban on covering the face in Switzerland? What all is prohibited under this? How much of Switzerland’s population will be affected by this and in which countries such restrictions are already in place?

Switzerland: A ban has been imposed on covering the face on New Year in Switzerland. With this, from January 1, now those who go out in public with a burqa, niqab or any other kind of face covering can be fined 1000 Swiss francs.

Meanwhile, it is important to know why there is a ban on covering the face in Switzerland? What all is banned under this? How much population of Switzerland will be affected by this and in which countries such restrictions are already in place? Let’s know…
How and why was the burqa banned in Switzerland?
In the referendum held in Switzerland in 2021, voting was done in favor of banning face covering in public places. Under this, it was also decided to ban the burqa and niqab of Muslim women in public places. In the referendum, 51.21% of the citizens voted in favor of banning face covering, while 48.8 percent people voted against it. It is worth noting that in Switzerland, people have the right to participate in referendums on most national and regional matters under democratic rules.

The proposal related to the ban on covering the face in Switzerland was brought by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP). Along with bringing the proposal, this party gave the slogan – Stop fundamentalism. Islam was not directly mentioned in the SVP proposal, although it was presented in connection with the ‘burqa ban’ in the country. Under this, a ban was also demanded on the wearing of masks by those protesting on the streets. However, the then government of Switzerland opposed this proposal. The ruling party argued that the government cannot decide what women will wear.

How much will it affect Muslims in Switzerland?

According to a 2021 research by the University of Lucerne, there is hardly any practice of wearing burqa or niqab in Switzerland. Only 30 women wear niqab here. Only about five percent of Switzerland’s population of 86 lakh are Muslims. Most of them are of Turkish, Bosnian and Kosovo origin.

What happened in the parliament after the referendum?

In 2022, a proposal was brought in the National Council, the lower house of the Swiss Parliament, to ban face covering. This proposal was put forward by the Swiss People’s Party. During this, 151 members voted in favor of the proposal and 29 members voted against it. The Central and Greens Party voted against it.

Finally, in September 2023, the Swiss Parliament finally approved the proposal. However, the Swiss government agreed to implement this ban from January 1, 2025 in November 2024 itself.

The Muslim community and human rights organizations like Amnesty International criticized the passing of this proposal in Parliament. In a statement, Amnesty called it a dangerous policy of violating women’s rights and it was also termed as a violation of freedom of expression and religion.

What is now banned under the law, where will there be exemption?

Under this law, covering the nose, mouth and eyes in public places is now prohibited in Switzerland. Not only this, this ban will also apply to private places where the general public can go. However, some exemptions have also been given in this. This ban is not applicable in airplanes and diplomatic premises. Apart from this, the face can also be covered according to beliefs at places of worship and religious places.

Not only this, the exemption of covering the face for health and safety reasons will continue. For example, patients will be able to wear masks due to any infection or disease. Apart from this, there will also be exemption for policemen and soldiers to wear gas masks. There will also be exemption to cover the face in view of traditional customs and seasonal conditions.

In which places is the ban on burqa already applicable?

1. Europe

At present, the ban on covering the face is applicable in 16 countries around the world. In Europe, France was the first country to ban burqa and other types of face coverings. A law was implemented in 2011 in the Parliament regarding this. In July 2014, it was also approved by the European Court of Human Rights.

After this, in Denmark, a complete ban was imposed on covering the face in August 2018. Here, a fine of up to 1000 Kroner (about 11 thousand rupees) can be imposed on the violator of the rule. This fine can be increased up to 10 times for those who repeatedly violate it. Apart from this, in October 2017, a ban was imposed on covering the face in public places like courts and schools in Austria. In June 2018, a ban on covering the face in public places like offices, schools, public transport, restaurants, shops and other places came into force in the Netherlands. However, exemption was given for covering the face on the streets.

In Belgium, the law related to the ban on covering the whole face has been in existence since July 2011. Under this, such clothes cannot be worn in public places, due to which the wearers cannot be identified. Apart from this, a law related to the ban on covering the face has been made in Bulgaria in 2016. In Norway, a ban on covering the face in educational institutions was imposed in June 2018. Similar rules apply in Luxembourg, where face coverings cannot be worn in hospitals, courts and public buildings.