من هناك
06-11-2007, 02:02 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6737993.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6737993.stm)
A court in Egypt has ruled that the American
University of Cairo cannot ban women from wearing the
niqab - the full Islamic face covering - on campus.
The ruling comes after a lengthy legal battle between
the university and a female student, who was told she
had to remove the niqab for security reasons.
Supporters of the niqab greeted the ruling as a
victory for freedom.
But officials at the university have said it indicates
a drift towards Islamic extremism.
'Religious values'
A committee of the High Administrative Court upheld a
2001 court ruling that the university could not ban
Iman al-Zainy from wearing the niqab as it was a
matter of personal and religious freedom under law.
The American University (AUC) said some of the
principles in the court's ruling appeared to support
its position and it was discussing this with lawyers.
It said it had sought the ban out of security
concerns.
"While the American University in Cairo has a policy
prohibiting face covering as an issue of personal
safety and security, it also recognises the need for
respect for the religious values and convictions of
our students," the AUC said.
The ruling does let the university place some
restrictions on the niqab, court sources told Reuters
news agency. Female students could be required to show
their faces to security guards at university
entrances.
Ms Zainy, who was a doctoral student at the Islamic
Al-Azhar University, sued the AUC in 2001 after it
banned her from entering its library wearing the
niqab.
Hossam Bahgat, one of Ms Zainy's lawyers, told Reuters
news agency the ruling was a victory for "women's
autonomy over their body and dress code".
"The court said in the strongest of terms that it is
up to women to decide about their clothing, and that
women should not be discriminated against because of
the clothes that they choose to wear," he said.
AUC students are allowed to wear the hijab, a
headscarf which covers a woman's hair but leaves the
face visible.
A court in Egypt has ruled that the American
University of Cairo cannot ban women from wearing the
niqab - the full Islamic face covering - on campus.
The ruling comes after a lengthy legal battle between
the university and a female student, who was told she
had to remove the niqab for security reasons.
Supporters of the niqab greeted the ruling as a
victory for freedom.
But officials at the university have said it indicates
a drift towards Islamic extremism.
'Religious values'
A committee of the High Administrative Court upheld a
2001 court ruling that the university could not ban
Iman al-Zainy from wearing the niqab as it was a
matter of personal and religious freedom under law.
The American University (AUC) said some of the
principles in the court's ruling appeared to support
its position and it was discussing this with lawyers.
It said it had sought the ban out of security
concerns.
"While the American University in Cairo has a policy
prohibiting face covering as an issue of personal
safety and security, it also recognises the need for
respect for the religious values and convictions of
our students," the AUC said.
The ruling does let the university place some
restrictions on the niqab, court sources told Reuters
news agency. Female students could be required to show
their faces to security guards at university
entrances.
Ms Zainy, who was a doctoral student at the Islamic
Al-Azhar University, sued the AUC in 2001 after it
banned her from entering its library wearing the
niqab.
Hossam Bahgat, one of Ms Zainy's lawyers, told Reuters
news agency the ruling was a victory for "women's
autonomy over their body and dress code".
"The court said in the strongest of terms that it is
up to women to decide about their clothing, and that
women should not be discriminated against because of
the clothes that they choose to wear," he said.
AUC students are allowed to wear the hijab, a
headscarf which covers a woman's hair but leaves the
face visible.