Swedish Ombudsman Decides in Favor of Headscarf

The EU ruling could affect the work situation of women who wear the Islamic headscarf.

Stockholm, 07 Rajab 1438/04 April 2017 (MINA) – The Equality Ombudsman (DO) of Sweden decided on Monday that a Muslim woman was subjected to discrimination on the grounds of religion in the eastern city of Uppsala.

According to the press release, the Ombudsman filed an 8,000 euro indemnity case against the translation company, which cancelled the interview of the woman on reason of wearing a headscarf.

“The company has taken the headscarf decision of the European Court of Justice, saying the apparent use of any political and religious symbol is prohibited under the internal rules,” Anadolu Agency quoted the statement as saying.

“But we do not think that the headscarf will be a problem because the Muslim woman would do the translation on the phone or video call,” the statement added.

The European Court of Justice ruled in March that employers can ban their workers from wearing any religious symbol, including headscarves worn by some Muslim women.

In a ruling on two separate appeals made by Belgium and France over the headscarf ban, the court said companies could bar staff from “visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious sign”.

In both cases, the appeal courts of Belgium and France had urged the EU court to give a joint judgement on the issue.

The EU court further said the decision to ban such symbols at workplaces was not discriminatory. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)