Ad-Hoc Security Council
Charles-Antoine Duval
Advance
Topic: Restriction of Religion in France
Background Information
On September 10th 2010 the Government of France passed “Loi Interdisant la
Dissimulation du Visage dans L’espace Public” or an Act prohibiting concealment of the
face in public. This law resulted in the restriction of headwear in public including articles
such as, masks, balaclavas and more controversially, the burqa. This act meant to be
related to security of persons and identification quickly became the centre of much
religious controversy, and a question of the restriction of individual freedoms, despite the
80% popularity ratings of the law in France. This law came soon after the 2004 ban on
the wearing of a variety of religious symbols in the French school system, including
headscarves.
Associated with this Law is up to a €150 fine. However in cases where citizens are being forced by others to wear face
coverings the penalty is increased to €30 000 and up to a year sentence in prison. Cases of violent force against police
officers, and those attempting to enforce these laws have been reported.
Within the Islamic community in France the bill was contested, however international opposition was contested in a way
larger extent. Hundreds of Muslims protested in Karachi, Pakistan. Nasharudin Mat Isa stated that he hoped it would not
provoke any terrorist incidents, despite angering Muslims around the world. Other more extreme leaders such as chief of
the Pakistani-based Jamaat-e-Islami party demanded that the United Nations take immediate actions against France.
Crisis
Recent developments related to this issue include an EU declaration of support on the banning of several articles headwear
in public, including the burqa, which has reignited protests in Pakistan and several other Muslim nations including several
organizations within Iraq and Iran.
In France a Muslim women is arrested in Paris for refusing to remove her burqa, the woman’s husband proceeded to assault
the policeman, and was also arrested for his actions. The actions of the police forces in France were conceived in many
nations as a brutal attack on Muslim traditions, the respect of the individuals involved, and religious freedom. The story has
become the backbone to a strong protest movement against the EU’s declaration and France’s actions, with the protests
becoming larger in number and more aggressive.