European Parliament (EP) Members Oppose Headscarf Ban in France

Published: Wed, 24 Feb 2005

European Parliament (EP) Members Oppose Headscarf Ban in France
 

A group of European Parliament (EP) members want to lift the headscarf ban put into practice at the beginning of the school year in France.

The EP deputies say the ban in force violates freedom of thought for Muslims. Five EP members are seeking support for a declaration to remove the ban and ask France to re-evaluate the decision. "To ban religious freedoms becomes violation of human rights and that encourages racism," said the EP Green Group's British member Caroline Lucas. It is not certain how much these EP members will be supported.

According to EP sources, the deputies expect to be able to collect 367 signatures for the declaration. The Human Rights Watch organization had previously stressed that the French draft banning religious symbols in public schools violates freedom of religion and expression.

Source: The Journal of Turkish Weekly