Strasbourg Court backs Turkey's headscarf ban

[ekrem]

Strasbourg Court backs Turkey's headscarf ban
By Stephen Castle in Brussels
Published: 11 November 2005

The European Court of Human Rights has upheld Turkey's headscarf ban in public buildings - a victory for Ankara's secularists after a long legal battle.

The court in Strasbourg confirmed an earlier ruling against Leyla Sahin, 32, who was barred from sitting a university exam in 1998 because she wore a headscarf. The decision was a vindication of the policies of a mainly Muslim country which imposes the ban to prevent any religion being favoured.

The court ruled that Turkish law was consistent with the European Convention on Human Rights and with the protection of women's rights in general. It argued: "When examining the question of the Islamic headscarf in the Turkish context, there had to be borne in mind the impact which wearing such a symbol, which was presented or perceived as a compulsory religious duty, may have on those who chose not to wear it."

Limitations on the right to wear a headscarf could be "regarded as meeting a pressing social need", the court ruled. The decision has implications for many other legal cases, and for other countries with headscarf bans, including France.

Meanwhile, the Turkish government promised to tackle shortcomings in its political and legal reforms after the European Commission said its preparations to join the EU had lost momentum. Abdullah Gul, the Foreign Minister, said: "Our government is determined to implement the reforms, to deepen and strengthen democracy."


http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article326322.ece


this court is european court of human rights. Noone can now on rely on the headscarf as a human right.
Good decision, it will ease the situation in turkey and europe as well.

 

[nosarcasm]

I am not sure banning people to express their religion is a good solution.
As an atheist I am no fan of religion per se but I dont like the idea
that the government tells me what is ok to wear and what not.

Very bad call by the court.

 

[ekrem]

I am not sure banning people to express their religion is a good solution.
As an atheist I am no fan of religion per se but I dont like the idea
that the government tells me what is ok to wear and what not.

Very bad call by the court.

yes, if the earth would be a all-through shiny world, i would support your sentences, too. But is not that shiny at all.
I know only, that in handling Islam, there need to be some restrictions, otherwise the whole thing will get out of control.

Ok, this court decision was from a student. so she is or was over 18+ ages.
This is the problem. There are women and girls who wear headscarf of their own and are not forced, too. But there are women and girls, too who are forced to wear headscarf by their parents and family.
Maybe the Turkish state could ease this banning in universities, as older women of plus 18 years old can be assumed, that they are wearing it on their own will.

But anyway this is a No-Go in the Turkish educational system, whether 6 or 18 years old. France now goes the same way as Turkey banning hedscarf from school.
In Turkey it is the problem with students of older ages. In france it is problem with 6 years old first ever-beeing in school little children. I cannot see young girls wearing headscarf. Religion is a thing, which you have to discover on your own. I cannot believe, 6 or 12 year old girls are free in their mind and are able to understand what Religion means and what Religion is.

So when you see little children with headscarfs, it is for sure it is their parents will. And this must be stopped. Best is practicing it via Educational system to show the parents "This is No-Go in our state, children are free in their minds, too"...
Hope you understood, today my english is not that good.

 

[nosarcasm]

you can make laws against parents or family forcing their daughters to
wear certain cloth.

That doesnt mean you should ban it over all.