Switzerland’s Burqa Ban Law to Take Effect in 2025
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Switzerland is set to enforce a ban on facial coverings, often called the “burqa ban,” starting January 1, 2025. This law prohibits covering one’s face in public, affecting items like burqas and niqabs, which are sometimes worn by Muslim women, as well as ski masks and bandanas. People who break this law could face fines up to 1,000 Swiss francs (about $1,144). Exceptions are allowed for health and safety, weather, traditional customs, or artistic purposes.
Covering the face is still permitted in places of worship, for diplomatic reasons, and with special approval for freedom of expression. The move follows a 2021 public vote where Swiss citizens narrowly supported the ban, a proposal introduced by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party. With this new law, Switzerland joins other countries like France and Belgium that have similar regulations on public facial coverings.
