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The burqa ban in the canton of St. Gallen has never been implemented since it was introduced five years ago. The Public Prosecution Service has not yet received any complaints and no one has ever been fined for wearing a burqa, niqab or a similar item of clothing, the Public Prosecution Service and the police told the Keystone-SDA news agency.
On September 23, 2018, the electorate of St. Gallen approved by a two-thirds majority in favor a ban on the burqa, which came into effect on January 1, 2019. Accordingly, covering the face is a criminal offense if it endangers “public safety or religious or social peace,” as the law provides.
Before it came into effect, police explained that such a threat could not immediately be clearly identified. That is why police officers who encounter a veiled person in public record their personal details, establish the facts and report the incident to the Public Prosecution Service. However, according to Hanspeter Krüsi, head of communications at the St. Gallen cantonal police, this has never happened before.
Soon ban throughout Switzerland
At a national level, the so-called burqa ban must be regulated by federal law. It is based on the popular initiative “for a ban on facial coverings”, which was approved by the people and the cantons by 51.2 percent in March 2021.
Violating the ban on covering the face is punishable with a maximum of one thousand francs. The Council of States has already approved the proposal. The National Council has yet to decide on the bill. (SDA)
Source:Blick
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