Turkey condemns EU court ruling on headscarf ban at workplace

By Iclal Turan

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey on Sunday condemned a top EU court ruling allowing companies in member states to ban employees from wearing headscarves.

The Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the decision by the European Court of Justice “violates the freedom of religion”.

“We condemn the decision, which is legally and conscientiously wrong and dangerous regarding Islamophobia it will fuel,” it added.

The statement described the court’s ruling as “a new example of efforts to give Islamophobia and intolerance towards Muslims an institutional and legal identity in Europe.”

The European Court of Justice on Thursday ruled on two cases brought by Muslim women in Germany who were suspended from their jobs for wearing headscarves.

It ruled that companies in member states can ban employees from wearing headscarves if they “need to present a neutral image to customers.”