Portugal has introduced a new law banning the wearing of face coverings designed to conceal a person’s identity in public spaces, a move widely viewed as targeting Muslim women who wear the burka or niqab.
Under the new “burka law,” anyone caught covering their face could be fined between €150 and €3,000. However, exemptions apply for medical, professional, artistic and weather-related reasons, as well as coverings worn in places of worship, diplomatic missions and on aircraft.
The law also makes it an offence to force another person to cover their face because of their gender, religion, age or origin.
Portuguese President António José Seguro defended the measure, saying the face is central to human identity and communication and describing an uncovered face as an important pillar of social trust.
The legislation was approved by parliament in July after being proposed by the right-wing Chega party and backed by the centre-right Social Democratic Party. While right-wing and far-right lawmakers supported it, left-wing parties opposed the measure.
Critics, including legal groups and left-wing parties, have warned that the law could be unconstitutional and fuel Islamophobia. Portugal now joins several European countries, including France, Belgium, Austria and Denmark, that have introduced restrictions on full-face coverings in public.
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