Australia: Women Must Remove the veil Muslim women must remove veils and show their faces to the police upon request or risk jail. The rule set forth in the draft new law proposed in the state of Australia’s most populous country to be discussed in parliament next week.
State Government of New South Wales on Friday (08/19/2011), said, according to the draft law, police will be able to ask anyone to remove face coverings, including the burqa, niqab, helmets, and masks, for the purposes of identification. The punishment for those who refuse will include one year in jail. Prime Minister of the State of New South Wales Barry O’Farrell said, those who wish to personally identifiable due to reasons of culture and religion can go to the police station.
The bill was criticized by many as an overreaction to a traffic case involving a driver Muslim women who wear the niqab or veil that shows only the eyes.
