France: The State Council, France’s top administrative court, has confirmed the government’s prohibition on wearing traditional abayas in public schools. This decision disregards claims of discrimination and potential incitement of hatred. Abayas are the long and loose garments worn by some Muslim women.
The Council has announced that it has denied a request for an injunction against the ban. The State Council is the highest court for addressing complaints against public authorities.
Before the court’s decision, France’s Council of the Muslim Faith, which represents Muslims in dealings with the government, cautioned that banning these garments might increase discrimination. They also mentioned the possibility of filing their own legal complaint with the Council.
It all comes after French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron’s government announced last month that it was banning the abaya and qamis, a long, loose-fitting garment worn by some Muslim men, in schools.
The government claimed the attire broke the rules on secularism in education. Muslim headscarves have already been banned on the grounds that they constitute a display of religious affiliation, as per the statement.
The Action for the Rights of Muslims (ADM), a group that represents Muslims, submitted a request to the State Council for an injunction against the ban. They argued that the ban was discriminatory and had the potential to promote hatred against Muslims.
After reviewing the motion, the State Council dismissed the argument, stating that wearing these garments aligns with the idea of expressing religious beliefs.
The Council explained that the ban was not allowed by French law, which prohibited individuals from wearing visible symbols of religious affiliation in schools.
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