European court ruling on headscarves sparks ire in Ankara
Turkey to provide legal assistance to women affected by a European ruling that allows companies to ban employees from wearing headscarves.
On March 14, the European Court of Justice made a controversial ruling, stating that companies are permitted to ban employees from wearing visible religious symbols such as the Islamic headscarf. The decision from Europe’s top court came after two women were fired because they refused to take off their headscarves at workplaces in France and Belgium.
Many right-wing political actors praised the court’s decision, while human rights groups and liberal media criticized the ruling. While the European court claimed neutrality for not singling out Muslims and argued no direct discrimination, it was impossible to evaluate the court’s decision independently from increasingly hostile, anti-Muslim atmosphere in Europe and the fact that ruling was brought after two Muslim women filed complaints.
