More than 2,000 Muslim women protest against hijab ban in Bosnia

[Glac09]

More than 2,000 women protested in Sarajevo on Sunday against a ban on the hijab for lawyers, prosecutors and other working professionals in Bosnia’s judicial institutions.

The protest comes after the judicial council decided to ban “religious signs”, which explicitly mentions the hijab.

The decision of the judicial council, which supervises the functioning of the judiciary, was criticised by Muslim politicians and religious leaders. At the protest rally, women were seen carrying banners such as “Hijab is my Right” and “Hijab is my Life”.

“We gathered to protest against prejudices, discrimination and marginalisation,” Samira Zunic Velagic, one of the protest organisers, was quoted as saying by Agence France-Press. “The ban of wearing hijab in judicial institutions is a serious attack against Muslim honour, personality and identity, a violation… aimed at depriving them of their right to work,” she said.

“We came here to say that we are not the victims of this scarf. We came to defend our rights. It is our crown, our liberty, our honour,” Elisa Hamovac, 33, said.

The decision to ban the hijab was announced in October 2015, while it only came into effect two weeks ago.

“No one is saying that by wearing a religious symbol, the person is biased. But the fact is that the third party who is in court, who is being tried, can be prejudiced and think that there is no neutrality,” Milan Tegeltija, the president of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, was quoted as saying by The Siasat Daily.

Communist authorities had banned the hijab when Bosnia was still a part of former Yugoslavia, before it gained independence in 1992.

Under the ruling, lawyers, court officials and others employed in the legal system will no longer be permitted to wear the hijab to work, while the permission of witnesses and other third parties taking part in hearings to wear the headscarf will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Since the law was passed a series of petitions have been posted online calling for it to be rescinded, and on 1 February, World Hijab Day, Bosnian activists posted pictures of themselves wearing the headscarf and holding the sign #unbiased.

Around 40% of Bosnia’s 3.8 million population are Muslim.

More...

[strivingobserver98]

Reminds me of the quote:

We live in a world where women get paid to be naked, whilst others get fined for being covered!

Subhan Allah :(

[sister herb]

“The ban of wearing hijab in judicial institutions is a serious attack against Muslim honour, personality and identity,

It´s also attack against women´s self-determination. Women shouldn´t accept that someone else decide for them how they should wear, live, behave or think.

[emem]

Why would they pass a law like that to ban Muslim women to wear their traditional and sacred Hijab which is their right and freedom? Let me also share to you something out of topic where my sister at school, wherein who's teacher said that in Islam, abortion is legal and in Chrsitianity, it is not. She told me mom about it and my mother didn't hesitate to go to her school and scolded the teacher. How can they keep on insulting our religion while they are ignorant and do not do further research before stating such horrible things? I'm very confused. And some of them say that Muslims are bad like criminals, robbers/thieves, terrorists, fake, and other things untrue but the fact that we say Allah(and then Subhannah Wata Allah) after saying our Lord's name while Christians even say sometimes Jesus F***kn Christ. They do not see this and reflect first? They are truly astray. Allahuakbar. :heated:

Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.

When you create an account, you can participate in the discussions and share your thoughts. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and make new friends.
Sign Up

[sister herb]

This teacher might not know that she is ignorant. Somebody should tell it to her - kindly and patient way of course.

[Pygoscelis]

People should be allowed to wear whatever they want, except where there are legitimate and over-riding security concerns (mostly regarding covering your face), sanitary concerns (mostly regarding going naked), or bias concerns (judges and other officials representing government should not be overtly displaying religious bias).

We live in a world where women get paid to be naked, whilst others get fined for being covered!

Some women are paid to be naked in some specific places, but for the post part going naked in the street will get you arrested. I am curious if the Muslims who understandably and rightly get upset over bans on covering their faces, feel any sympathy or understanding towards nudists, who are forced to wear clothing against their will.