(Morocco World News) The controversial burqa ban has officially taken effect today, January 1, in Switzerland, prohibiting the wearing of full-face coverings in public spaces.
The law, which passed through a nationwide referendum in 2021, echoes an ever-growing wave of restrictions and Islamophobic attacks targeting Muslims in several countries across Europe and beyond.
Switzerland’s governing Federal Council said that anyone who unlawfully violates the law faces a fine of up to MAD 11,542 ($1,144). The country justified its burqa ban as a step towards “promoting integration and security.”
The ban sparked online criticism from many people, who argued that it unduly targets Muslim women, encroaching on their rights and freedom of expression and religious practices.
