France: Upholding burkini ban risks giving green light for abuse of women and girls

[rug]

Failure to overturn the ban on the burkini would be a missed opportunity to end an assault on women’s freedoms of expression and religion as well as the right to non-discrimination, said Amnesty International as France’s highest administrative court considers a challenge to the ban.

25 August 2016, 16:33 UTC

“The case being considered today offers an opportunity for the French justice system to overturn a discriminatory ban that is fuelled by and is fuelling prejudice and intolerance,” said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Europe Director.

“French authorities should drop the pretence that these measures do anything to protect the rights of women. Rather, invasive and discriminatory measures such as these restrict women’s choices, violate their rights and lead to abuse.”

In recent weeks several French mayors have adopted local decrees regulating the use of beachwear. Some of the decrees have referenced manifestly specious security, hygiene and public order concerns as justification and others have even purported to be aimed at protecting women’s rights. However, the rhetoric around their adoption has universally focused on the negative stereotyping of an already stigmatized minority.

“These bans do nothing to increase public safety, but do a lot to promote public humiliation. Not only are such bans in and of themselves discriminatory, but as we have seen, their enforcement leads to abuses and the degrading treatment of Muslim women and girls,” said John Dalhuisen.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/08/france-upholding-burkini-ban-risks-giving-green-light-for-abuse-of-women-and-girls/

[mdbl]

1. Pretty Ironic

(the ban's)" enforcement leads to abuses and the degrading treatment of Muslim women and girls". So which is worse, the law or the religion?

[Jim__]

2. I'm surprised that the burkini ban doesn't conflict with some policy of EU.

My understanding is that the EU does protect basic human rights, and I would think the right to wear a burkini at the beach falls under that umbrella.

[rug]

3. It's being heard today by the State Council, France's highest administrative court.

The State Council is currently considering an appeal against a decision by a lower court upholding a ban on the full-body swimsuit by the town of Villeneuve-Loubet.

The ruling will set a legal precedent for municipalities across the country.

Many local decrees ban the wearing of any form of beachwear that is contrary to hygiene and to the principle of “laicité”. Some of the decrees also state that, in view of the existing terrorist threat, wearing specific forms of dress that ostensibly manifest religious beliefs could breach public order.

The bans on burkinis are the latest in a series of restrictive laws against cultural or religious clothing in France. In 2004 a law on religious symbols banned any visible religious symbols in state schools. In 2011, a law banned the concealment of the face in public spaces.

http://english.conseil-etat.fr/

[rug]

4. Update: French court suspends burkini ban

By Jim Bittermann, Sheena McKenzie and Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN
Updated 11:24 AM ET, Fri August 26, 2016

(CNN) — Mayors do not have the right to ban burkinis, France's highest administrative court ruled Friday.

The Council of State's ruling suspends a ban in the town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, and could affect cities around the country that have prohibited the full-length swimsuit.

More than 30 French towns have banned burkinis, which cover the whole body except for the face, hands and feet.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/26/europe/france-burkini-ban-court-ruling/

http://english.conseil-etat.fr/Activities/Press-releases/The-Council-of-State-orders-a-decision-banning-clothes-demonstrating-an-obvious-religious-affiliation-to-be-suspended

[Jim__]

5. Good news!

[rug]

6. It is. It may yet make its way to the EU courts.

[okasha]

7. Her body, her choice,

whether a woman elects to go topless or cover up entirely.