Australia abandons controversial ban on Muslim niqab

Rasa - A controversial plan to make Muslim women wearing the face-covering veil sit in separate glassed public enclosures at Australia’s Parliament House because of security concerns was abandoned Monday after an outcry.

News ID: 1445

Date: 21 October 2014 - 02:29

RNA - On October 2, Speaker Bronwyn Bishop and Senate President Stephen Parry decided that women wearing the conservative “burqa” or “niqab” coverings must sit in areas normally reserved for noisy schoolchildren while visiting parliament.

The order came amid heated debate about potential security risks following the rise of the Islamic State organization.

The ruling was condemned by Prime Minister Tony Abbott who asked the parliament to reconsider the decision.

Race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane told Fairfax Media the original ruling meant Muslim women were being treated differently to non-Muslim women.

“No one should be treated like a second-class citizen, not least in the parliament,” he said.

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