NEW
ZEALAND, January 17 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – A New
Zealand court has asked two Muslim women to remove their face cover
while testifying.
The
Auckland District Court said Fouzya Salim and Feraiba Razamjoo,
witnesses in an insurance fraud case, must show their faces to the
judge, lawyers and female court staff , Australian Associated Press
(AAP) has reported.
Defence
lawyers insist on seeing the two women’s faces when they testify.
The
court said screens and other measures would be used to protect the
women from public view, asserting the ruling only applied to the case
in question.
The
women, both Afghans living in New Zealand for years, argued it would
be a violation of their “Islamic customs” to remove
all-encompassing burqas.
Asked
during last October's hearing why she refused to remove the face cover
Salim said: “I don't want to show my face in public ... I would
rather kill myself than uncover my face and sit here. If I uncover my
face then I would be in trouble with God.”
The
two women risk being held in contempt of court and face penalties that
include imprisonment.
Not
Obliged
Muslims
are also encouraged to take the lead in keeping the public interest
and security of the nation.
Therefore,
if the law governing a given country requires uncovering the face of
the woman for genuine reasons, such as identification, the Muslim
woman, like all other women, should abide.
Hijab,
not burqa, is the proper
Islamic dress code, which is primarily intended to safeguard the
modesty, dignity and honor of men and women.
Women
must cover all their bodies except the face and hands while in the
presence of men who are not related to her directly.
