Sikhs take French turban ban to European human rights court

On 11th June 2007, UNITED SIKHS lawyers will file a legal challenge to the French law banning the wearing of the turban on ID document photos. The case, before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, will be the first such case against France since it passed a law in March 2004 banning the wearing of religious symbols, including the Sikh turban, in public schools.

The applicant, Shingara Mann Singh, is a 52 year old Sikh from the northern Paris suburbs, whose replacement driver’s licence was refused by the French authorities in 2005 and again in 2006. France’s highest administrative court, the Conseil D’Etat, has ruled that public security justifies a law which requires Sikhs to remove their turbans to be photographed for driver’s licences. UNITED SIKHS will also apply to the ECHR for permission to intervene in the case, on behalf of the wider Sikh community and in support of the freedom of thought conscience and religion.

The turban has not only been banned for ID photographs. Since the passing of the controversial French law banning religious symbols in 2004, including the Sikh turban, in public educational establishments, six French Sikh schoolboys have been expelled from school. UNITED SIKHS lawyers are due to appear in the Conseil D’Etat to defend the right of three of the boys to wear the turban in school. If the Conseil D’Etat rules against them, the cases will be appealed to the ECHR and the United Nations Human Rights Committee in New York.

“It is necessary to take these cases to the international courts as if left unchecked the French law, which undermines the freedom for thought conscience and religion, will have a domino effect on this freedom globally,” said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS director for International Civil and Human Rights Advocacy.

Sikhs are required by religion to wear their hair unshorn and covered at all times by a turban, an article of faith and an intrinsic aspect of the Sikh identity.

To know more about Sikhs and the Right to Turban campaign please visit

https://www.unitedsikhs.org/rtt/french_press_room/

https://www.unitedsikhs.org/rtt/

UNITED SIKHS and MEP Neena Gill will host a press conference in Brussels to highlight the appeal.

Venue:

Media should use the press entrance in the Spaak Building:

Room P0150,
Paul Henry Spaak building
European Parliament
Batiment Altiero Spinelli
60 Rue Wiertz
Brussels
B-1047

Time: 1.30pm Monday 11 June 2007

For more information please contact:

UNITED SIKHS: Mejindarpal Kaur t: +44(0)7709830 442