(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The ban on the burqa (face veil worn by Muslim women) came into effect in France last month. Anyone found wearing the niqaab or burqa in public could face a fine of à150 (R1472) or lessons in French citizenship.
On Friday, students from the universities of Johannesburg, the Witwatersrand and Pretoria were joined by community members when they handed a memorandum to the ambassador at the French Embassy in Pretoria.
"We stand united here today to bring about awareness with regards to the discrimination faced by Muslim women in Europe. We unanimously feel that banning the veil is essentially defying the fundamental human right to freedom of religion regardless of what that religion entails. Every person deserves the right to wear whatever they feel necessary to express their religious beliefs," read the memorandum.
It said France's decision to take the choice of niqaab away from women was to oppress them rather than "liberate" them (as the French government claims).
"Islam holds that wearing the veil (niqaab) is an option for a Muslim woman. Thus, no woman is or can be forced into the wearing of the veil nor should she be prevented from doing so if she so desires," it read.
It further stated that, by taking away the choice to don the veil, France is attempting to rewrite the doctrine of a 1400-year-old religion as well as dominate women.
Amina Khotoo, vice-chair of the Muslim Students' Association, said they were hoping other European countries would not follow France.
End item/ 149