Portugal has enacted a law banning face coverings in public spaces, a measure that has been widely criticised as targeting Muslim women who wear full-face veils.
President António José Seguro signed the legislation into law, following its approval by parliament in July.
The law prohibits clothing or other items designed to conceal a person’s face or prevent identification in public spaces. It also makes it an offence to force another person to cover their face on grounds related to gender, religion, age or origin.
Defending the measure, Seguro said the face plays an important role in human interaction.
“The face must be considered a central element of human identity and communication,” Seguro said in a statement late Tuesday.
The legislation, referred to by Portuguese media as the “burqa law”, was backed by the governing right-wing coalition and far-right parties, while left-wing parties opposed it.
Under the new law, violators can face fines ranging from €150 to €3,000.
However, the restrictions include exemptions for health, professional, artistic and weather-related reasons. The law also does not apply in places of worship, diplomatic missions and on aircraft.
The legislation has faced criticism from opposition parties and legal organisations, with concerns raised about its potential impact on religious freedom and the risk of encouraging discrimination against Muslim communities.
The Portuguese Socialist Party (PS), Livre and the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) opposed the measure, warning that it could contribute to Islamophobia.
The PS described the legislation as having an “Islamophobic purpose”, while the PCP argued that it had “nothing to do with women’s rights, nor with security issues” and was instead aimed at fuelling hostility towards minority groups.
Livre also accused the right-wing parties of creating what it described as a “moral panic over a supposed Islamic invasion”.
The law’s supporters have defended it on grounds of identification and public communication, while President Seguro acknowledged that the issue was one of “great social and cultural sensitivity.”
Portugal now joins a number of European countries that have introduced restrictions on face coverings in public spaces, although the scope and exemptions vary between countries.
Vanguard News
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