The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called a bill proposed by Italian lawmakers that would ban the wearing of the face veil (niqab or burqa), which is worn by a tiny minority of Muslim women, an “authoritarian, bigoted” attack on religious freedom.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“Religious freedom includes a person of faith’s right to choose to wear a cross, a star of David, a hijab, a turban and, yes, a face veil. Governments that ban women from choosing to cover their face are engaging in an authoritarian, bigoted attack on religious freedom.
“Italy’s proposed ban on the face veil—worn voluntarily by a small minority of Italian Muslim women as a person expression of faith—also makes no sense given that anyone would still be free to cover their faces for medical reasons, costume parties, holidays and any other reason other than their religious beliefs.
“We stand in solidarity with the Italian Muslim community. We urge Italian lawmakers to reject this discriminatory measure and respect the fundamental rights of religious expression and personal freedom.”
In August, CAIR condemned as ‘discriminatory and authoritarian’ a proposal announced by Austria’s integration minister to ban Islamic head scarves, or hijab, for girls under the age of 14.
In July, CAIR called a plan by French President Emmanuel Macron’s political party to ban those under 15 from wearing hijab, or Islamic head scarves, in public an “authoritarian attack on religious freedom.”
CAIR has repeatedly called on European leaders to stop promoting Islamophobia.
SEE: CAIR Expresses Solidarity with European Counter-Islamophobia Group Targeted by French Authorities
CAIR Condemns Swiss Ban on Face Veil
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com