Burqas, niqabs, and balaclavas banned in Swiss public spaces from January 1

Starting January 1, 2025, Swiss authorities have enacted a nationwide ban on the wearing of clothing and items that fully conceal the face in public spaces.

This includes garments such as the burqa and niqab, worn by some Muslim women, as well as face-covering balaclavas often worn by football fans, Caliber.Az reports referencing foreign media.

Those who violate the new law will face fines ranging from 100 to 1,000 Swiss francs (approximately $110 to $1,100).

The ban follows a referendum held in March 2021, where a slim majority of the Swiss population, 51.2 per cent, voted in favour of the measure. Prior to the nationwide ban, similar restrictions had been implemented at the regional level in the cantons of St. Gallen and Ticino, but the new law now applies across the entire country.

The decision to implement the face-covering ban is framed as a way to promote public security, social integration, and communication, as it is believed that face coverings hinder interactions and can present security concerns in public places. As a result, garments like the niqab, burqa, and certain types of balaclavas are now prohibited in places such as shops, restaurants, government offices, and public transportation.

However, the law allows for exceptions. Items that conceal the face are still permitted in religious settings, such as mosques, during public celebrations like carnivals, and for protective purposes, such as shielding the face from extreme cold weather.

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter stated that the ban would impact only a small portion of Switzerland’s 400,000-strong Muslim population, emphasizing that only about 20 to 30 women in the country currently wear the niqab. The law, according to Keller-Sutter, is intended to balance security concerns with respect for individual freedoms while promoting social cohesion.

With this move, Switzerland joins several other European nations that have already instituted similar bans on face coverings. These countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, and the Netherlands. France was the first European country to pass such a ban, doing so in 2011.

The implementation of the face-covering ban in Switzerland is likely to ignite debate over issues of religious freedom, personal choice, and societal integration, as it touches upon the delicate balance between cultural diversity and national identity in modern Europe.

By Tamilla Hasanova