Lisbon [Portugal], October 19 (ANI): Portugal’s parliament has approved a bill banning face veils worn for “gender or religious” reasons in public, in a move widely seen as targeting the face coverings worn by some Muslim women, EuroNews reported.
The bill, proposed by the far-right Chega party, received support from the centre-right PSD, Liberal Initiative, and CDS-PP. Left-leaning lawmakers, including members of the PS, Livre, PCP, and Bloco de Esquerda parties, voted against the initiative, according to EuroNews.
The measure prohibits “the use, in public spaces, of clothing intended to conceal or obstruct the display of the face,” such as the burqa—a full-body garment covering a woman from head to foot—and niqabs—the full-face Islamic veil that leaves only space around the eyes. It also criminalizes “forcing someone to hide their face for reasons of gender or religion,” according to the parliamentary proposal.
Exceptions include cases where facial concealment is “duly justified for health reasons or professional, artistic, entertainment, or publicity purposes.”
The ban “does not apply on airplanes or in diplomatic and consular premises,” and “faces can also be covered in places of worship and other sacred places,” EuroNews reported. It further exempts “the concealment of the face for reasons related to security or due to climatic conditions, or whenever this results from a legal provision that allows it.”
The law will now move to the parliamentary committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms, and Guarantees, where it may be amended before returning to the plenary for a final vote.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa must still approve the bill. He has the authority to veto it or refer it to the Constitutional Court for review.
If enacted, the measures will apply to all public spaces, including “public roads, as well as places open to the public, used for public service,” and “all places where services generally accessible to all citizens are provided.” The rules also extend to “sporting events or practices and demonstrations.”
Violators could face fines ranging from 200 to 2,000 euros “in the event of negligence,” while deliberate violations could result in fines between 400 and 4,000 euros, according to EuroNews. (ANI)
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