Belgium has become the first European country to approve a ban on wearing the full Islamic veil in public.
With only two abstentions, the draft legislation was approved unanimously by the lower house of parliament and is expected to pass into law without challenge.
According to the text of the bill, the ban does not refer specifically to the wearing of the burqa or niqab, but prohibits people from wearing “any clothing covering or partially covering the face in public places so as to render them no longer recognisable”.
Liberal deputy Denis Ducarme said that Belgium is “the first country that springs the lock that have made many women slaves, and we hope to be followed by France, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and other countries that think.”
Under the proposed legislation, wearing burqa-type Islamic dress could lead to fines of €15 to €25 and imprisonment for up to seven days.
Amnesty International has criticised the bill, arguing that it will set “a dangerous precedent for other European countries”.
Though some Belgian politicians consider the law is necessary for public security, the human rights group believes there is no any demonstrable link between the wearing of full-face veils and threats to public safety.
Belgium is home to 600,000 Muslims in a population of over 10 million. The Belgian Muslim Council claims that “only a couple of dozen” wear full-face veils.
