German lawmakers have approved a burka ban for public sector workers as part of a package of measures designed to stop extremist attacks.

The Bundestag parliament voted through the law, which demands that the appearance of anybody who works for the government be “religiously neutral”.

The legislation follows several Islamic terrorist attacks, including one in December where a jihadist used a truck to ram through a Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people.

It also comes as Germany readies itself for national elections this September. The legislation must pass Germany’s upper legislative chamber before becoming law.

The ban will apply to civil servants including election authorities, the military and judicial staff while they are at work, the German DPA press agency reported.

It fell short of a total ban in public spaces as demanded by right-wing parties in Germany.

The text of the legislation said: “The state has a duty to present itself in an ideologically and religiously neutral manner.”

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the partial burka ban is about social integration of immigrants which requires “that we make clear and communicate our values and the limits of our tolerance to other cultures.”

The law prohibiting facial coverings allows certain exceptions – for instance, health workers protecting themselves against infections or police officers concealing their identity.

The law also gives powers to authorities to ask people to remove their facial coverings if they need to confirm their identity.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called to ban the burka since December last year, following the pressure from her party. During her party’s conference she urged to ban burka or niqab wherever possible.

She said: “With us, the rule is: show your face, that’s why the full veil is not appropriate, it should be banned.” </s> Denmark on Thursday followed in the footsteps of several European countries and introduced a ban on clothes that cover the face, including Islamic veils such as the burqa and niqab.

The ban, which will come into effect from August 1, was passed in the Danish Parliament in a 75-30 vote with 74 absentees, reported The Guardian. The law was presented by Denmark’s centre-right governing coalition. The government said the bill is not aimed at any religion and does not ban headscarves, turbans or the Jewish skull cap.

Those violating the law will have to pay a fine of 1,000 kroner (Rs 10,595). During the weeks-long parliamentary procedure, the government removed a provision allowing prison sentences as potential punishment for breaking the law, reported The Local Denmark.

“[The] Parliament has clearly stated that the burqa and niqab do not belong in Denmark,” said Danish People’s Party spokesperson Martin Henriksen. “They are incompatible with Danish culture and the foundations on which Denmark is built.”

Justice Minister Soren Pape Poulsen in April said the Danish police will not forcibly remove veils from women. “If they live nearby, they will be asked to go home,” Poulsen had said.

The law, popularly known as the “burqa ban”, is seen as being directed at the dress worn by some Muslim women. Few Muslim women in Denmark wear full-face veils, reported The Guardian.

The burqa has become a political issue in several major European countries. France became the first country in Europe to ban the burqa in 2011, followed by Belgium. The Netherlands approved a partial burqa ban in public spaces such as hospitals and schools in 2016, whereas Austria banned the use of burqa from October last year. In 2017, the German Parliament too voted in favour of a partial burqa ban. </s> Austria's governing coalition has agreed to prohibit full-face veils in courts, schools and other "public places" as part of a package of reforms drawn up after more than a week of negotiations.

The coalition of Social Democrats and the centrist People's party also agreed Monday to ban police officers, judges and magistrates and public prosecutors from wearing head scarves in the interest of appearing "ideologically and religiously neutral" while serving the state.

The French parliament passed an act more than six years ago that made France the first European Union country to ban the niqab and burqa, the full-face or face-and-body coverings worn by some Muslim women, in public places. Others have followed. </s> The traditional Islamic burqa and niqab veils have been banned in Denmark after a majority vote in the country’s parliament.

In a 75-30 vote with 74 absentees on Thursday, Danish lawmakers approved the law. The Danish government says it is not aimed at any religions and does not ban headscarves, turbans or the traditional Jewish skull cap, AP reports.

Denmark now follows in the footsteps of several other European countries which have also banned the full-face veil, fully or partially, including France, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Belgium, Germany, and parts of Switzerland.

During the weeks-long parliamentary procedure of the bill, the government removed a provision allowing prison sentences as potential punishment for breaking the new law. Financial penalties will instead be inforced against those who infringe on the new legislation.

Those found violating it will receive a 1,000 Krone (£119/$166) fine which could increase to as much as £900/$1,257 for repeat offenders. Anyone forcing a person to wear garments covering the face by using force or threats can be fined or face up to two years in prison.

Justice Minister Søren Pape Poulsen has previously stated that Danish police will not forcibly remove veils from women.

“I do not want police officers pulling items of clothing off people – burqas or otherwise. That is not going to happen,” Poulsen told Politiken last month.

“If they live nearby, they will be asked to go home,” Poulsen said at the time.

A further option would be for women to be accompanied to a police station, where they would be collected by a family member, he added.

Unlike the Austrian burqa ban, which prohibits all facial coverings including Halloween costumes, the Danish ban will have a limited number of exceptions including those using scarves to protect their faces from cold and people dressed up in costume.

Following the Danish vote, Gauri van Gulik, Amnesty International’s Europe Director, said: “All women should be free to dress as they please and to wear clothing that expresses their identity or beliefs. This ban will have a particularly negative impact on Muslim women who choose to wear the niqab or burqa. </s> Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Several European countries have imposed a full-face veil ban and others are considering it

Austria's ruling coalition has agreed to prohibit full-face veils in public spaces such as courts and schools.

It is also considering a more general ban on state employees wearing the headscarf and other religious symbols.

The measures are seen as an attempt to counter the rise of the far-right Freedom Party, whose candidate narrowly lost last month's presidential vote.

The centrist coalition nearly collapsed last week amid crisis negotiations over the government's future direction.

'Symbolic' step

Detailing the package of reforms, the coalition devoted just two lines to the planned ban on the Islamic niqab and burqa.

"We are committed to an open society, which also presupposes open communication. A full-face veil in public places stands in its way and will therefore be banned," it said.

An estimated 150 women wear the full niqab in Austria but tourism officials have expressed fears that the measures will also deter visitors from the Gulf.

One government spokesman told an Austrian newspaper that the ban would apply for ski resorts such as Zell am See as much as the centre of Vienna.

Several European countries have imposed similar bans but the Austrian move is, according to the vice chancellor a "symbolic" step.

Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz said it was important to be seen to be neutral, especially for anyone dealing with the public in the police or schools.

France and Belgium introduced a burqa ban in 2011 and a similar measure is currently going through the Dutch parliament.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said last month that the full-face veil should be prohibited in Germany "wherever it is legally possible". The UK does not ban the niqab or burqa.

Further measures agreed by Austria's Social Democrats and their conservative People's party partners include electronic tagging of former jihadists and a proposed curb on foreign workers.

Many of the plans must be hammered out in detail and receive parliamentary approval before they can come into force, BBC Vienna correspondent Bethany Bell reports.

What is a niqab and a burka?

The niqab is a veil for the face that leaves the area around the eyes clear. However, it may be worn with a separate eye veil. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf.

The burka is the most concealing of all Islamic veils. It is a one-piece veil that covers the face and body, often leaving just a mesh screen to see through. </s> Denmark has become the latest European country to ban the Islamic burqa and niqab by outlawing the wearing of face veils in public.

A majority of lawmakers voted in favour of the ban as women wearing conservative religious clothing looked on.

First-time offenders of the so-called burqa ban - which goes into effect on August 1 - will be fined 1,000 Danish crowns (about £115).

The fine increases to 10,000 crowns (£11,500) after a fourth violation.

But Denmark's government insists the law isn't targeting any religions.

Denmark is the fifth European country to pass a 'burqa ban' in public, joining Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria and France.

The Swiss canton of Tessin has outlawed the religious clothing.

In the Netherlands, face veils are banned in some public places, including schools, hospitals and public transport.

On Thursday, Danish lawmakers voted 75-30 in favour of the legislation proposed by the country's centre-right coalition.

An additional 74 members of parliament abstained from the vote.

The niqab is a veil that covers a woman's entire face except the eyes, while the one-piece burqa covers the entire face and has a transparent veil. </s> (CNN) The Austrian government has announced plans to ban the full-face Islamic veil in public, part of a raft of measures to contain the rise of the far-right Freedom Party.

The plan -- which would ban the burqa, niqab and other face-covering veils -- echoes calls that German Chancellor Angela Merkel made last month for a similar ban in Germany.

It also comes amid growing concerns of harassment against Muslims around the world following US President Donald Trump's temporary ban on citizens from some Muslim-majority countries entering the United States.

The Social Democratic and Austrian People's parties, which rule in a coalition, released a 35-page document outlining their vision for Austria as an "open society that requires open communication."

"Full-face veils in public places are the opposite of that and will be banned," the document said.

Any ban would need the Austrian Parliament's approval to be enforced.

The document says that Austria was introducing the reforms to ensure the "state presents itself in a world-open and religiously neutral manner," adding that civil servants in uniform as well as judges and prosecutors should show religious neutrality in the way they dress in public, effectively banning them from wearing Islamic headscarves.

The announcement was met with a backlash from Islamic groups and Austrian Muslims, who slammed the plan as discriminatory.

"It is saddening. This is a setback for Austria, for our democracy and for our understanding of diversity," said Amani Abu Zahra from the Islamic religion department at the University for Teacher Education of Christian Churches.

Tarafa Baghajati, chair of the Austrian Muslim Initiative, said that while he didn't necessarily agree with the full-face veil, he considered an outright ban "counterproductive."

Baghajati said he found the "de facto headscarf ban" on civil servants more problematic.

"This is state-run discrimination against Muslim women that violates the constitution and anti-discrimination laws," he said.

The government will also try to force asylum-seekers and some migrants to sign an "integration contract and a declaration of values" and agree to "strict sanctions" if the contract is violated. It will seek to reinforce border controls, increase police presence and tighten asylum procedures.

The document is an 18-month plan that will take the government, led by Chancellor Christian Kern, up to the next elections, likely to be held in 2018.

The ruling parties are facing a rapid rise in popularity of the far-right, Euroskeptic Freedom Party, which has campaigned against what it sees as the Islamization of the country, calling for "zero migration" and a boost to border security.

France became the first European country to ban the full-face veil officially in 2010. Bans are also in place in Belgium and some parts of Switzerland, while other European countries have debated the issue. </s> Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, on Thursday approved a draft law that would prevent civil servants, judges and soldiers from wearing Islamic full-face veils at work.

Germany's ruling coalition said in a statement said that a "religious or ideological covering of the face contradicts the neutrality required of state functionaries."

The law would also require women to show their face during identity checks.

The law still has to be approved by the upper house, the Bundesrat, before coming into effect.

"Integration also means that we should make clear and impart our values and where the boundaries lie of our tolerance towards other cultures," German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said. "The draft law we have agreed on makes an important contribution to that."

5 clothing items you probably didn't know have been banned Jeans in East Germany In the beginning, jeans were frowned upon in East Germany. "No entrance with jeans" was written at the doors to many clubs. And some students were actually sent home if they appeared in class wearing jeans. In the end, the regime had to give in and party leader Erich Honecker is said to have ordered a million Levi's in order to meet the demand in the country.

5 clothing items you probably didn't know have been banned The fez in Turkey Until the 1920s, the fez was a common piece of headgear in Turkey. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the founding of Turkey, President Atatürk did not want to see the hat in public because it was considered a symbol of old times. In the 1930s, the fez almost completely disappeared. The ban still exists today, but is no longer enforced.

5 clothing items you probably didn't know have been banned The kilt in Scotland Nowadays it is an inseparable part of Scotland. But the kilt was banned for some time in the 18th century by the English. They didn't like that the Scots wore the traditional skirt as a sign of resistance and patriotism in ever burgeoning feuds with London. In 1747, the government introduced a kilt ban that lasted 37 years.

5 clothing items you probably didn't know have been banned Lingerie in Russia Still prohibited in Russia is underwear containing less than six percent cotton. That means lingerie made of lace, velvet or silk. The law has been in force for two years. The official reason is that high synthetic content is bad for people's health. More likely, however, is that the measure is meant to keep foreign imports out. Until then, most lingerie sold in Russia was made abroad.

5 clothing items you probably didn't know have been banned Hoodies in the US and UK At least in some places, wearing so-called hoodies is prohibited. For example, in the Bluewater shopping center in Kent. There you can still buy hoodies, but wearing them was forbidden 10 years ago. In the US, many schools already banned the hoodie from the classroom, and in the state of Oklahoma a Republican senator wanted to prohibit it completely. Author: Antje Binder / rb



Fifth country to ban

If the law is passed, Germany would become the fifth European country to ban or partially ban the wearing of the burqa and niqab, after France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Bulgaria.

Austria and Norway are also working towards a ban.

The approval came after Chancellor Angela Merkel's December call for a ban on full-face Muslim veils "wherever legally possible". The new law fell short of demands by right-wing parties for a total ban in public places, as in France.

Merkel is facing a federal election in five months, with her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) losing some support to the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD).

In February, Merkel's Bavarian CSU sister party said it would ban the full-face veil in schools, universities, government workplaces and polling stations.

Package of security measures

During the same late night session, the Bundestag approved a package of security measures aimed at preventing extremist attacks.

New security measures includes the court-approved use of electronic ankle bracelets for people deemed a security threat. Another law is aimed at helping national and state police forces pool their data in a new integrated IT system.

A separate measure implemented European Union rules on the mandatory sharing and retention of data on flight passengers.

Another measure meant physical attacks on police, emergency services and military personnel on duty would be punished with up to five years' jail. </s> Denmark has become the latest country in Europe to ban attires that cover one's face, which includes the burqa and the niqab worn by many Muslim women. While the ban was proposed in 2017, the Danish Parliament voted in its favour on Thursday, May 31.

After receiving 75 votes in favour of the ban, the law will come into effect on August 1, 2018, and violations will carry a penalty of 1,000 kroner ($156) for first-time offenders and about 10,000 kroner ($1,568) by the fourth violation, reported Reuters.

A niqab covers everything apart from the eyes, whereas a burqa also covers the eyes with a transparent veil. About 200 women reportedly cover their faces in Denmark and this ban is set to affect all of them.

Defending its decision, the Danish government said that the ban was not aimed at a particular religion and would cover all kinds of face veils such as balaclavas. However, the ban will not affect other things such as turbans, headscarves, and Jewish skull caps.

Justice minister Soeren Pape Poulsen said that the police would be entrusted with the monitoring and they would use their "common sense" and check for people violating the law. If found with a face covering at a public place, people would be asked to go home.

"With a ban on covering the face, we are drawing a line in the sand and underlining that in Denmark

we show each other trust and respect by meeting face to face," the Huffington Post quoted Poulsen as saying.

Meanwhile, Denmark is not the only European nation to impose the restriction, which is popularly called the "burqa ban." Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and the German state of Bavaria imposed this ban quite some time ago. The first country to ban a Muslim veil was France and the restriction came into effect in 2011.

Why have nations banned burqa and why the debate?

The European nations have banned the burqa and niqab and this has been a hot topic of debate for a while now. While some believe that women should be allowed to choose what they wear – full-face coverings or not -- some believe that such coverings oppress the women and it is almost like they are not allowed to have a voice. Several countries have also said covering the face creates security issues.

The Norwegian government had earlier said that veil in all the schools, nurseries and educational institutions must be banned as it obstructs "good communication" between pupils and teachers.

"We do not want clothes covering the face in nurseries, schools and universities... These clothes prevent good communication, which is important for students to receive a good education," Minister of Education and Research Torbjorn Roe Isaksen had earlier said in a statement.

"Clothes covering the face, like the niqab and the burqa, have no place in Norwegian schools. It is a fundamental value to be able to communicate with each other," AFP had quoted Norwegian politician Per Sandberg as saying.

The French Ambassador to the United States Gerard Araud had also earlier said that burqa was not a neutral attire. "A burqa is not a neutral attire. It conveys a conception of the woman as an object of lust, a subject and not an agent of history," he had tweeted.

However, University of Oxford lecturer Sundas Ali believes that the ban isn't really fair and also said that extremism has affected the way the Islamic attire is treated. "I think in public a Muslim woman, or anybody really, should be allowed to dress however they want -- so long that it doesn't disrupt society or social harmony," CNN quoted Ali as saying.

Shereen El Feki, author of 'Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World', also told CNN that a burqa or niqab doesn't always mean oppression and a lot of time, women wear it on their own will as per their interpretation of their religion.

"For some it's fashion, for others it's clearly an expression of their modesty and how they interpret Islam. And for a lot of women it's freedom," Feki added. "It's a tool of empowerment."
The Bundestag approves a ban on burqas being worn by members of the German civil service.