German Bundesrat favours banning burqa for drivers
The German parliaments upper house has brought in strict traffic related penalties, including fines for drivers wearing veil while driving. Photo: iStock
(Web Desk) - Germany has prohibited motorists from driving with part or all of their face covered.
The new traffic laws, which includes all kinds of facial coverings has been interpreted by many as a ban on burkas and niqabs, according to the Independent.
The German parliament’s upper house, the Bundesrat, introduced the measure to “ensure a driver’s identity can be determined” if they are caught speeding.
Drivers will be fined of 60 Euros if they cover their faces while driving.
Although the law permits religious head coverings such as headscarves worn by Muslim women, some critics have stated the move is symbolic.
In an interview to a German news agency, Nurhan Soykan, member of Germany’s Central Council of Muslims said that: “Proof of this is the fact that laws are being passed in areas that don t need to be regulated.
“We know of no case in which a burqa or niqab wearer caused an accident that can be linked to wearing a full-body veil.”
German’s parliament earlier this year supported a draft law to ban women in the civil services, judiciary and military from wearing a full-face Islamic veil.
Angela Merkel, German chancellor also showed her support for the move, stating that full-face veils were “not acceptable” in the country and called for them to be banned “wherever it is legally possible”.
Earlier this year, German’s state of Bavaria prohibited full-face Islamic veils in schools, universities, polling stations and government offices.
Similar partial bans on full face veils are in some European countries including France, Belgium and the Netherlands. In other parts of the world, face veil are highly criticized. An Australian party leader caused stir this year by appearing in parliament dressed in burka as part of her campaign to ban Muslim full-face veils.
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Pauline Hanson, the leader of Australia s anti-immigration One Nation party pulled a stunt this year, calling for the banning of burkas. Photo: AP
According to Deutshe Welle, Germany s largest Automobile Association ADAC welcomed the new legislation, pointing out that videos of illegal racing have increasingly been posted on social media.
"The reclassification as a crime should send the important signal that such races are not misdemeanors and should be vigorously condemned by society," an ADAC spokesperson told DW. "(Lawmakers) have made it more difficult to achieve recognition for such behavior after the fact on social media."
But the ADAC said more police checks were necessary to curtail the phenomenon. Illegal road racing has attracted significant recent public attention after cases in which innocent non-participants died. In March, a Berlin court gave two young men life sentences for murder after an innocent person was killed in an illegal road race. There had been increasing calls to make illicit racing itself a crime.
Apart from the full face covering, other bans in Germany included fines for drivers who look at their phones instead of the road.
"People who look at their mobile phones while behind the wheel are driving blind and endangering themselves and others," said Transportation Minister Alexander Dobrindt. "The message is hands off your mobile phone when driving. Distraction is one of the biggest risks causing accidents."
Hands-free mobile phone systems are still allowed.
