AhlulBayt News Agency: The Ghent Mosques Association (VGM) announced on Thursday that it will appeal to Belgium’s Council of State to annul the reinstated headscarf ban in provincial education in East Flanders, arguing that procedural rules were not properly followed, according to Belga news agency.
In its statement, the umbrella organization representing 23 mosques in Ghent said that the participation decree had not been respected and cited testimonies from teachers who remained anonymous out of fear of sanctions.
The association described a social climate in which Muslim women are “structurally prevented” from expressing their identity freely and with dignity. It added that remarks made during the debate over the ban reflect a “disturbing shift in the boundaries of democratic debate.”
The VGM strongly criticized comments by Kurt Moens, the first deputy of East Flanders, who claimed during a provincial council meeting that he had consulted the “broad Muslim community.” The association said no such consultations were held with VGM.
The group also rejected claims that opponents of the headscarf ban are leaning toward extremism, warning that freedom of expression is increasingly under threat.
On Wednesday, the provincial government of East Flanders approved the headscarf ban for students in provincial schools, which will take effect in the 2026–2027 academic year.
/129
Your Comment