Australian authorities Friday said motorists who refused to take off face-covering veils such as the burqa when asked to do so by police could be sent to jail for up to a year.
Under the changes to laws in New South Wales state, police will be able to ask drivers to remove helmets, masks, the face-covering niqab veil and the all-body garment the burqa.
Refusal to do so would incur a fine of Aus$220 (US$228), but in the most serious cases could result in up to a year in jail and a fine of Aus$5,500.
“People will only be required to remove a face covering for as long as it takes to identify them,” New South Wales state Premier Barry O’Farrell said.
“Those who want to be identified privately for cultural and religious reasons can request to go to a police station.”
The changes, to be introduced to parliament next week, will also give officials the power to request the removal of face coverings in courts while visitors to prison could also be asked to remove any coverings that obscure their identity. Those who refuse could be fined up to $550.
“I have every respect for different religions and beliefs but when it comes to enforcing the law, the police should be given adequate powers to make a clear identification,” O’Farrell said in a statement.
The change follows the recent case of a Muslim woman being acquitted when a magistrate ruled she could not be positively identified because was wearing a burqa.
In the high-profile case, Sydney woman Carnita Matthews was sentenced to six months in jail in November 2010 for falsely accusing a police officer of forcibly trying to remove her burqa.
But her sentence was later quashed after a magistrate said he could not be 100 percent sure it was Matthews who later walked into a police station to make the complaint because officers were not able to see the face of the accuser.
Police already have the power to ask women to remove face veils during the investigation of serious offences, but not on more routine matters.
The wearing of full-face niqab veils by some Muslim women has become a contentious issue in parts of Europe, where France has banned them in public.
The New South Wales state ombudsman will review the new laws after they have been in place for a year.
we are muslims and Islam not say anything to other religions so why they do such things ??
@ Bilai Asif; They( Police) only ask to remove the mask from the face as they ask all others riding motorbikes or driving cars. They are not telling the women to remove their
clothes? The problem with us is our negative attitude towards life, since we disobey the
traffic laws here in Pakistan and get away through influence. We believe that using the
cover of religion we can get away with violating any law abroad.
beta kissakhani,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,kal ko australia mey law ban jata hey k traffic police walay kisi ko kiss krna chahey tou kr sktay hey tou phir kia kro ghaey,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,islam mey naqab of hijaab ka kaha ghaya hey,,,,,,,,,yaha tak k apney cousins sey bhe nikaab krney ko kaha ghaya, tou phir tm kaha ke baat kr rhey ho………………… or jo koi islam ke talimaat mey kisi 1 ko bura samajta hey tou wo KUFR krta hey,,,,,,,,,,so think befor barking,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,understand
Zeh sta zoy e nah im, Oh kam khabera che teh ka wai agh ha Australia key hich cher e nahshi ked eh. Da Niqab o Hijab ya wa fashion da, Sharam o haya deh khaz e naz aar o keh da. Tah ba dere kitab una beh waal i Maz hab bandi
kho teh amgah khar e dah cha makh a makh Gaazar wa che weh ya uch gaya.
'' You have learnt so much, And read a thousand books. Have you ever read yourself." – Bulle Shah.
Live in Rome as Romans live.
No Harm in it! As far as they have a lady police accompaining.
No Harm in it! As far as they have a lady police accompanying.
where z freedom of xpression..?
where z democracy..?
where z those culprits which give us lesson of equality, Self repect and Tolerence..?
where z the so called NGOZ and human rights…?
shame on all U …
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