patrick.net

Switzerland’s contentious ban on facial coverings in public, commonly known as the “burqa ban,” will officially take effect on January 1, 2025. The announcement was made by the Federal Council in a statement cited by Reuters on Wednesday. Violators of the law could face fines of up to 1,000 Swiss francs (approximately Rs 96,280).

The measure, narrowly passed in a 2021 nationwide referendum, has faced strong criticism from Muslim organisations and rights advocates. It was championed by the same political group that led the 2009 ban on constructing new minarets in Switzerland.