Tunisia’s premier on Friday banned the niqab Muslim face covering for women in government offices, citing security concerns after attacks in the North African country.
Prime Minister Youssef Chahed signed a government circular”banning access to public administrations and institutions to anyone withtheir face covered… For security reasons,” his office said.
The ban on the niqab, which covers the entire face apartfrom the eyes, comes at a time of heightened security following a June 27double suicide bombing in Tunis that left two dead and seven wounded.
The interior minister instructed police in February 2014 tostep up supervision of the wearing of the niqab as part of anti-terrorismmeasures, to prevent its use as a disguise or to escape justice.
The Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights urgedthat the measure be only temporary.
“We are for the freedom to dress (as one pleases), buttoday with the current situation and the terrorist threats in Tunisia andacross the region we find justifications for this decision,” the league’spresident Jamel Msallem told AFP.
He said that the ban should be repealed as soon as “anormal security situation returns in Tunisia”.The niqab and other outward shows of Islamicdevotion were not tolerated under the regime of longtime autocrat Zine ElAbidine Ben Ali but have made a comeback since he was toppled in Tunisia’s 2011revolution.