Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Italy's New Anti-Terror Law Bans Burqa
The Australian reports on Sunday on new anti-terrorism legislation just enacted by Italy's Parliament. In addition to giving police greater powers to trace, interrogate, and detain suspects, it doubles the existing penalty for wearing in public a burqa or chador -- traditional robes worn by Muslim women to cover their faces. It similarly prohibits the wearing in public of the kind of face mask often worn by terrorists, the balaclava. The new law imposes a penalty of up to 2 years in jail and a fine of 2000 Euros for anyone convicted of covering his or her face in public.