Dutch Parliament imposes partial ban on burqa

The ban is also applicable for ski-masks and full-face helmets as the Dutch government has labelled this law as being, “religion-neutral,’ reports the Associated Press.

The ban, however, is partial in the sense that it does not apply in case of the hijab which are the headscarves worn by Muslim women.

With this law, The Netherlands thus joins the list of the European countries which includes Belgium, who have banned the burqa.

The bill of this law was approved in 2016 by the Lower House of the Dutch parliament.

Those who support the law have said that this was necessary to promote effective communication in public while the critics have argued that this was specifically done to target the Muslims.

The European Forum for Muslim Women has attacked the decision, terming it as a” basic infringement of Muslim women’s rights.”

The reality is, however, different as very few women in The Netherlands wear full-face burqas or the niqab.

A study by a government advisory body had earlier estimated the number of women to affected by this law to be 400 at the most. 

The nationalist party for Freedom led by Geert Wilders has been pushing for a full ban on the burqa and nijab for nearly a decade.

Wilders celebrated the decision and tweeted, “Finally, 13 years after a majority in the Dutch Parliament voted in favour of my motion to ban the burqa, it became law yesterday!#stopislam #deislamize #freedom.”