Lisbon [Portugal], October 19 (HBTV): Portugal’s parliament has approved a bill banning face veils worn for “gender or religious” reasons in public, a move seen as targeting coverings worn by some Muslim women, EuroNews reported.
The bill, proposed by the far-right Chega party, received support from the centre-right PSD, Liberal Initiative, and CDS-PP, while left-leaning lawmakers from PS, Livre, PCP, and Bloco de Esquerda voted against it.
The measure prohibits the ‘use, in public spaces, of clothing intended to conceal or obstruct the display of the face,’ including burqas and niqabs. It also bans forcing someone to hide their face for reasons of gender or religion.
Exceptions include concealment justified for health, professional, artistic, entertainment, or publicity reasons. The ban does not apply on airplanes, in diplomatic or consular premises, places of worship, sacred sites, or for security or climatic reasons, as well as in cases permitted by legal provisions.
The law will now be debated in the parliamentary committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, where it may be amended before returning to the plenary for a final vote. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa still must approve the bill and could veto it or refer it to the Constitutional Court for review.
The measures would apply to all public spaces, including roads, places open to the public, and areas where services are generally accessible. They also extend to sporting events, practices, and demonstrations.
Violators could face fines between EUR 200 and 2,000 for negligence, and between EUR 400 and 4,000 in cases of wilful misconduct, according to EuroNews.
(ANI)