Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 06 Jul 2019, 07:37 pm Print
Tunis: Citing security reasons, Tunisia government has banned wearing niqab, used by Muslim women to cover their entire face apart from the eyes, in government offices, media reports said.
The order comes after three suicide bombings in the capital, Tunis, in the space of a week, reported BBC.
Niqab is a symbol of religious faith attached with Islam.
According to BBC report, Tunisia's long-time ruler Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali banned the niqab and hijab in state buildings, but they made a return after he was ousted in 2011.
Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed issued the fresh ban on the use of niqab on Friday.
Chahed's office issued a circular on Friday "banning access to public administrations and institutions to anyone with their face covered... for security reasons", reported BBC.
Al Jazeera reported that Tunisia is one of the few countries in the Middle East where Islamic and secular parties share rule.It is considered the sole democratic success story of the Arab Spring uprisings, but has struggled with an economic slowdown and social unrest.
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