By IRNA,
London : The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has denounced France becoming the first European country to introduce a ban on the face veil as yet another dangerous step by the country towards demonising Islam and Muslim symbols.
“The implementation of the French Niqab ban on Monday 11 April heralds another chapter in the already long book charting the spiral of France into a fascist state,” the London-based human rights organisation said.
“Whilst it is assumed that less than 2000 women in the country don the face covering, the French government has deemed fit to target these women as ‘un-French’ and oppressed. In so doing they have yet again stigmatised Islamic and Muslim symbols, and by extension Muslim communities in France,” it said.
The warning came as the first woman was detained in France for wearing an Islamic veil, although according to the BBC, police said she was held not because of her veil but for taking part in an unauthorised protest against the ban.
IHRC spokesperson Arzu Merali said claims that the new law, which includes imposing a fine and a citizens course on offender, would help empower Muslim women, were both “offensive and ludicrous.”
“Such arguments simply promote racist stereotypes about Muslim women needing to be liberated and being incapable of making rational decisions about their own emancipation,” Merila said.
IHRC has previously warned of the impact of the existing ban on the Islamic headscarf and other religious symbols in French schools and documented the violations of CEDAW (Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women).