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CNA Staff, Mar 8, 2021 / 06:33 pm (CNA).- Swiss voters have narrowly approved a proposal to religious facial coverings in public nationwide. Though the move will affect a small minority of Muslim women, commentators voiced concerns about the effect on religious freedom and tolerance for religious minorities.
Over 51% of voters backed the measure in a March 7 vote. The ban on facial coverings in public places does not mention Islam directly but was presented as a burqa ban. It would also affect protesters who wear ski masks and bandanas. The ban exempts venues that are religious institutions, facial coverings used for health reasons and masks used for traditional Carnival celebrations.
A public referendum in Switzerland Sunday came out in favor of banning face coverings in public. Swiss voters voted in two other referendums at the ballot box, voting against the introduction of elect.
Switzerland narrowly votes to ban face covering in public
By
Ivana Kottasová, CNN
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(CNN) Swiss voters have approved a ban on full facial coverings including niqab and burqa in nearly all public places in a closely contested referendum on Sunday.
The result means facial covering will be banned in all publicly accessible places, including on the streets, in public offices, on public transport, in restaurants, shops and in the countryside.
The controversial proposal gained support of 51.21% of voters and the majority of the country s 26 cantons, according to official provisional results published by the federal government.
The only exceptions include places of worship and other sacred sites. Face coverings will also be allowed if worn for health and safety reasons, because of the weather and in situations where it is considered a local custom to do so, such as at carnivals, according to the text of the proposal published by the Swiss feder
Bern [Switzerland], March 8 (ANI): Switzerland on Sunday (local time) narrowly voted in favour of banning full facial coverings including the niqab and burqa in almost all public places. As many as 51.21 per cent of voters voted in support of the controversial proposal in the referendum.