Monday, September 30, 2013

Turkey Lifts Ban on Women Wearing Headscarves; Secularists Say They Defy Sep. of State and Rel.

Turkey announced today (September 30, 2013) it would lift a ban on women wearing headscarves in most public offices, following other measures critics say are aimed at Islamizing the staunchly secular country, the AFP (Agence France Press) website reports.

In a major speech to introduce political reforms, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that -- with few exceptions -- civil servants would be allowed to wear headscarves after a longstanding ban is overturned.

The ban will remain in effect for judges, prosecutors, police, and military personnel.

Secularists see the headscarf as a symbol of defiance against the strict separation of state and religion -- a basic tenet of modern Turkey.

No comments:

Post a Comment