Saudi Arabia warns against wearing niqab in Austria

The Saudi embassy in Austria has warned its citizens not to wear a full face veil, niqab, in Austria after the government passed a bill banning it, Al-Hayat newspaper reported.

The new law stipulates that as of 1 October 2017, all those who hide their facial features in public will be fined. The embassy called on its citizens to adhere to the law when visiting the country.

The newspaper noted that Austria joined Switzerland and France, which was the first European country to ban the niqab in public, in addition to other religious symbols. Belgium and some Spanish areas have also passed similar laws.

The Muslim World League tweeted last week that Muslims must respect the constitutions, laws and cultures of the countries they live in, and they must request that hijab be treated as a special case within the legal parameters available.