A ban on face-veil would violate individual privacy rights and alienate Muslim women, the European rights chief has warned, urging politicians to promote understanding of different cultures.
"A general ban on such attires would constitute an ill-advised invasion of individual privacy," Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement.
Last January, a French parliamentary panel recommended slapping a partial ban on face-veils in public institutions.
Similar debates are also heating up in Italy, Denmark, Netherlands and Germany.
Hammarberg said a ban might breach the European Convention on Human Rights, which allows limitations on human rights only on the grounds of public health, safety or morals.
"Those who have argued for a general ban of the burqa and the niqab have not managed to show that these garments in any way undermine democracy, public safety, order or morals," he insisted.
"The fact that a very small number of women wears such clothing has made proposals in such a direction even less convincing."
The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 to protect human rights and democracy in the continent.
It has 47 members who have signed the European Convention on Human Rights.
Counterproductive
The European rights chief said a ban would be counterproductive rather than helpful for Muslim women.
"Prohibition of the burqa and the niqab would not liberate oppressed women, but might instead lead to their further alienation in European societies," he warned.
"The suggestion to ban the presence of women dressed in the burqa/niqab in public institutions like hospitals or government offices may only result in these women avoiding such places entirely."
Hammarberg said media interviews have shown that the majority of the niqab-clad women have taken the decision by their own volition and would not welcome a ban.
"There may of course be cases where they are under undue pressure - but it is not shown that a ban would be welcomed by these women."
While hijab is an obligatory code of dress for Muslim women, the majority of Muslim scholars agree that a woman is not obliged to wear the face-veil.
Scholars believe it is up to women to decide whether to take on the veil or burqa.
Hammarberg cautioned that subjecting Islam and Muslim-related issues to public debates in many European countries risks playing into the hands of extremists.
"Some of the arguments have been clearly Islamophobic and that has certainly not built bridges or encouraged dialogue."
He insisted that instead of imposing new dress codes on their citizens, European states would be better advised to launch debates on understanding of different cultures.
"Attempts should be made to broaden the discourse to cover essential matters, including how to promote understanding of different religions, cultures and customs."
"A general ban on such attires would constitute an ill-advised invasion of individual privacy," Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement.
Last January, a French parliamentary panel recommended slapping a partial ban on face-veils in public institutions.
Similar debates are also heating up in Italy, Denmark, Netherlands and Germany.
Hammarberg said a ban might breach the European Convention on Human Rights, which allows limitations on human rights only on the grounds of public health, safety or morals.
"Those who have argued for a general ban of the burqa and the niqab have not managed to show that these garments in any way undermine democracy, public safety, order or morals," he insisted.
"The fact that a very small number of women wears such clothing has made proposals in such a direction even less convincing."
The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 to protect human rights and democracy in the continent.
It has 47 members who have signed the European Convention on Human Rights.
Counterproductive
The European rights chief said a ban would be counterproductive rather than helpful for Muslim women.
"Prohibition of the burqa and the niqab would not liberate oppressed women, but might instead lead to their further alienation in European societies," he warned.
"The suggestion to ban the presence of women dressed in the burqa/niqab in public institutions like hospitals or government offices may only result in these women avoiding such places entirely."
Hammarberg said media interviews have shown that the majority of the niqab-clad women have taken the decision by their own volition and would not welcome a ban.
"There may of course be cases where they are under undue pressure - but it is not shown that a ban would be welcomed by these women."
While hijab is an obligatory code of dress for Muslim women, the majority of Muslim scholars agree that a woman is not obliged to wear the face-veil.
Scholars believe it is up to women to decide whether to take on the veil or burqa.
Hammarberg cautioned that subjecting Islam and Muslim-related issues to public debates in many European countries risks playing into the hands of extremists.
"Some of the arguments have been clearly Islamophobic and that has certainly not built bridges or encouraged dialogue."
He insisted that instead of imposing new dress codes on their citizens, European states would be better advised to launch debates on understanding of different cultures.
"Attempts should be made to broaden the discourse to cover essential matters, including how to promote understanding of different religions, cultures and customs."
