Switzerland to Ban Burqa, Put Fine on Violators

Switzerland’s parliament’s lower house on Wednesday passed a bill to put a ban on face coverings, such as the burqas worn by a section of Muslim women.

The National Council of Switzerland voted 151-29 in favour of the legislation. The Swiss upper house has already approved it. This new law in Switzerland prohibits covering the nose, mouth and eyes in both public spaces and private buildings accessible to the public. But it has some exceptions.

Two Swiss cantons, southern Ticino and northern St. Gallen, already have similar laws against the use of face coverings like burqa.

With the national legislation against burqa, Switzerland now joins Belgium and France which have enacted similar laws against burqa.