Turkey criticises European court's ruling on burqa ban

Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman on Sunday condemned a European Union court decision to allow employers to ban staff wearing Muslim headscarves as appeasing Islamophobia.

“The decision by the European Court of Justice on headscarf in the workplace is another blow to the rights of Muslim women with headscarf and will play right into the hands of those warmongers against Islam in Europe,” Ibrahim Kalin



tweeted.

“Does the concept of religious freedom now exclude Muslims?!”

The European Court of Justice on Thursday ruled that companies can ban employees wearing religious or political symbols if firms “desire to pursue a policy of political, philosophical and religious neutrality with regard to its customers or users.”

The ruling applies to any symbols where there is a “genuine need” for a ban.