Council of Europe opposes burka bans

Europe’s leading human rights institution today came down against a planned ban on Islamic full-face veils.

A Council of Europe commission said the ban now being considered by France and Belgium – would rob women of their freedom of expression and could violate their religious freedoms.

The panel also urged Switzerland to end its ban on the construction of Islam minarets.

The Council of Europe is a 47-nation group that will discuss the burka issue at its plenary session next month.

It is a separate organisation from the EU and is the EU region’s primary human rights watchdog whose rulings are binding on all Council of Europe member states.

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