New Danish law prohibits the use of full face veil in public places

Further information:

On 31 May 2018, Denmark passed a law that prohibited the use in public places of the full veil covering the face. Those who break the law could be fined 1,000 kroner (€134). The ban also targeted other accessories that hid the face such as balaclavas, masks and false beards. The law did allow headscarves, turbans and Jewish skull caps to be worn.

The law came into force on the 1 August 2018 amidst protests in Copenhagen.

The Danish ban followed similar recent bans on full face veils in Belgium, France, Bulgaria and parts of Switzerland.

Background information:

When the bill was proposed earlier in 2018, Denmark’s Justice Minister Søren Pape Poulsen said covering one’s face was 'disrespectful' to others and 'incompatible with the values in Danish society'.

Amnesty International said a ban was neither 'necessary nor proportionate' and accused Denmark of violating freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

The Telegraph, 31.05.18: Denmark becomes latest European country to ban full Islamic face veil in public spaces https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/05/31/denmark-becomes-latest-european-country-ban-full-islamic-face/

Politico, 31.05.18: Denmark bans wearing the burqa in public https://www.politico.eu/article/denmark-burka-bans-in-public/

Amnesty International, 31.05.18: Denmark: Face veil ban a discriminatory violation of women’s rights https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/05/denmark-face-veil-ban-a-discriminatory-violation-of-womens-rights/

EurActiv, 01.06.18: Denmark bans full-face veil https://www.euractiv.com/section/freedom-of-thought/news/denmark-bans-full-face-veil/

Aljazeera, 31.05.18: Denmark passes law banning face veil in public spaces https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/05/denmark-passes-law-banning-face-veil-public-spaces-180531115848723.html

CNN, 31.05.18: Denmark's Parliament bans wearing of face veils in public https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/31/europe/denmark-face-veil-ban-intl/index.html

BBC News, 31.05.18: Denmark passes ban on niqabs and burkas https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44319921

The New York Times, 01.08.18: Denmark’s Ban on Muslim Face Veil Is Met With Protest https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/01/world/europe/denmark-ban-muslim-veil.html

The Local.dk, 02.08.18: 'From one day to another, we’re criminals': Muslim women speak against Denmark’s burqa ban https://www.thelocal.dk/20180802/from-one-day-to-another-were-criminals-muslim-women-speak-out-against-denmarks-burqa-ban

The Local.dk: Tag: Burqa ban https://www.thelocal.dk/tag/burqa+ban

The Guardian, 04.08.18: First woman fined in Denmark for wearing full-face veil https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/04/first-woman-fined-in-denmark-for-wearing-full-face-veil

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