Denmark has banned the burqa, the full-face veil that some Islamic women wear.
The Danish legislature passed the controversial bill earlier this week, which would ban many Islamic face coverings, including the veil.
The law passed by a more than two-to-one margin, 75 to 30.
Beginning on August 1, Danish authorities will fine anyone who wears a face-covering veil 1,000 kroner — the equivalent of $150. The fines increase for repeat offenders, eventually topping out at around $1,000.
The law doesn’t target specific religions or genders — and, in fact, would even ban men from wearing fake beards in public. But, since Islam is the only mainstream religion that routinely wears veils, critics have alleged that the ban is religiously motivated.
Liberal opponents of the bill have hit back as well. Amnesty International condemned the law as being a “discriminatory violation of women’s rights.”
“Whilst some specific restrictions on the wearing of full-face veils for the purposes of public safety may be legitimate, this blanket ban is neither necessary nor proportionate and violates the rights to freedom of expression and religion,” they added in a statement.
Denmark’s ban follows similar legislation in France, Germany, Belgium, and Austria.
AAN Staff
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