Officially: Netherlands Bans Wearing Face-Veils

The Netherlands has decided Thursday to ban wearing face veils, known as “Niqab” in a variety of public spaces, such as schools, hospitals, public buildings and public transport.

With such a decision, it joins a number of other European nations in enforcing the controversial law. Some consider Niqab a symbol of the oppression of women, while others view the ban as a violation of religious freedom.

Authorities now have the right to tell people to show their faces. If someone refuses, they can be denied access to public areas, and face fines of up to €150 ($167). An Islamic political party in Rotterdam said it will pay the financial penalties for anybody caught wearing the now prohibited clothing.

The ban, which will affect an estimated 150 niqab wearing women in the Netherlands, will also apply to full-face helmets and balaclavas.

Attempts to enforce the new law have already been met with disapproval as several cities as well as hospitals, public transport operators and even police said that they would not be sticking to it.

It is noteworthy that The Netherlands, in June 2018, approved a ban on wearing “face-covering clothing” including the burqa and niqab in some public settings.

Successive Dutch governments have sought to ban niqabs، which cover most of the face but still shows the eyes، and burqas، which cover the face and body، even though studies suggest that only a few hundred women in the Netherlands wear the garments.