A federal law prohibiting face coverings in public, backed by a 2021 referendum, came into force in Switzerland earlier this year.
The Swiss authorities have issued the first fine under the country’s nationwide face-covering ban that took effect this year after a woman in Zurich wore a burqa in public, local outlet Blick reported on Sunday, citing police spokesperson Michael Walker.
The contentious measure, widely known as the “burqa ban,” is a federal law prohibiting face coverings in public spaces, including Muslim garments, such as burqas and niqabs, as well as masks and balaclavas worn by demonstrators or sports hooligans. Walker declined to reveal the woman’s age or details of her attire, citing privacy laws, but confirmed she was “not a tourist.” He said the woman refused to pay the fine, which totaled 100 Swiss francs ($110), meaning the case will now go to the cantonal governor’s office for further processing.
The ban stems from a 2021 Swiss referendum that narrowly passed with 51.2% support, following a campaign in favor of the measure led by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party. Though initially proposed as a measure targeting “radical Islam,” the law also aims to improve public safety, prohibiting masks at protests and sporting events. Violators face an immediate 100-franc fine, which can rise to 1,000 francs if contested in court.
The law includes exceptions for health, cold weather, carnival events, religious worship in designated areas, airline travel, and certain diplomatic or performance-related circumstances.
More than half of Swiss cantons had already enacted bans on face coverings at demonstrations before the federal law took effect. The new national law, however, supersedes cantonal legislation.
Critics argued that the law unfairly targets Switzerland’s 400,000-strong Muslim community, of which only a small minority wear face veils. The Swiss government initially opposed the measure as excessive, arguing that the ban could harm tourism. The law was also condemned by Muslim associations in the country.
Supporters, however, countered that the ban serves broader public security concerns. Last year, Zurich police issued 98 fines for masked participants at protests and sports riots, while Bern authorities also enforced similar cantonal bans against football hooligans.
Bans on the burqa, a full body covering with mesh around the eyes, and the niqab, a face veil which leaves a slit for the eyes, were first introduced in France back in 2011. Full or partial bans on face coverings have since also been enforced in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Image credit: Elin Tabitha
First of many, one hopes!
Marocco which is a muslim country,also bans burka and face covering. And don t think maroccan women would challenge this rule. They would end in prison
Turkiye under Atta Turk also banned this kind of attire.
As well as Egypt and Tunesie.
It was Erdogan who facilitated the coming back of head and body covering. It is a political gesture and has nothing to do with ” religion”
Erdogan sees himself as the head of a new Caliphate. He wants to undo the work of Atta Turk a.k.a. Mustafa Kamal.
Islam is political and religious. This is because there has never been the separation of Church and state in Islam as happened with Christianity a few hundred years ago. Atta Turk tried after WW1 by specifying that the religion is private, and the public face of the state would be controlled by secular laws that he borrowed from the US, France, UK and Switzerland. Erdogan is trying to undo this and ensure that Islam dominates the political and religious spheres.
When Western countries allow for “freedom of religion” the implicit assumption is that the religion does not dominate the political sphere. With Islam, that is not true. Once a country votes in Sharia law like Iran did in 1979 it is very difficult to get rid of it.
Its quite simple when you immigrate to a new country you should respect the values of that country, if you can not accept this stay in your own country.
I suppose the woke would say this is racist, well screw you and your marxist agenda of division and hatred.
If only there were majority Islamic countries elsewhere in the world that she could go to instead of having to live under all that cruel Swiss oppression
It’s a two and a half hour flight from Switzerland to Kosovo which is a Muslim-majority country in the heart of Europe.
And Kosovo has been all the more peaceful for it