In a closely contested referendum on Sunday, Swiss voters have approved the banning of full facial coverings in almost all public places. This includes burqas and niqabs. 

With 51.21% of voters and 26 cantons supporting the ban, facial coverings will be banned in most public places. Streets, restaurants, public offices, shops, the countryside are all included under the public spaces category, according to the official provisional report published by the Federal Government. 

Also Read: Swiss hotels, restaurants are at risk of bankruptcy: Reports

Religious sites and places of worship are exempted from the ban. 

Amnesty International has called the vote “anti-Muslim” and said in a group statement, “Swiss voters have once again approved an initiative that discriminates against one religious community, in particular, needlessly fueling division and fear.” 

The Sunday referendum was the culmination of several years of debates over the issue and comes 12 years after another referendum outlawed the construction of minarets in the country, reports CNN. 

Also Read: Switzerland school shutdown prevented COVID-19 spread: Study

Numerous human rights and civic groups, Swiss religious organizations, and the Federal Government have criticized the vote. The move was condemned by the Swiss Council of Religions earlier this year while it stressed the fact that religious freedom is a human right that includes religious practices like dress codes, reports CNN. The Swiss Council of Religions represents all religious communities of Switzerland. 

The Swiss Federal Council rejected the idea and categorized it as going too far. It advised people to vote against the ban, as per government documents. The council serves as Switzerland’s federal government along with the Swiss parliament prepared a counter ban which would require people their face coverings to show their faces, if necessary, for identification by police officers.  

St Gallen and Ticino, Swiss Cantons have already banned full facial coverings. While the proposal put forward by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party along with other groups does not specify Islam, the prohibition has been widely called the “burqa ban” by Swiss media.