UNITED SIKHS ANNOUNCES UN DECISION FOR TURBAN BAN IN FRENCH SCHOOLS

In 2008, UNITED SIKHS lawyers filed a case before the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) on grounds that France had violated, inter alia, the religious freedom of a 17 year old Sikh student, Bikramjit Singh, by expelling him from school, following the passing of the law that banned religious signs in public schools in 2004. The UNHRC has taken a final decision which will be announced at the media conference.

UNITED SIKHS will hold a media conference at 3pm on Friday 14th Dec 2012 to announce the UN decision in a case brought by UNITED SIKHS lawyers for Bikramjit Singh who was expelled from school in 2004 when France introduced a law that banned religious signs in public schools, including the Sikh turban.

The proponents of freedom of thought, conscience and religion and the Sikh community in particular have waited four years for the UNHRC’s decision, nine years after the law banning religious signs was passed by France. The decision of the UN Human Rights Committee is significant to Sikhs who regard the Turban as an integral part of their being. A Turban wearing Sikh never removes his Turban, as is evident from the most public Sikh person, Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.

The media conference will give you an opportunity to pose questions to our lawyers and our client, Bikramjit Singh, whose religious rights were violated by France’s law that banned the wearing of the turban in school that led to his expulsion.

Interview opportunities will include: Bikramjit Singh and Mejindarpal Kaur, Legal Director, UNITED SIKHS.

For more information and to confirm your attendance please contact mejindarpal.kaur@unitedsikhs.org on +33 625936599 and Jasvir.singh@unitedsikhs.org on +33 613483073.

Programme

Issued By-
Mejindarpal Kaur
Legal Director, UNITED SIKHS
+33 625936599
law@unitedsikhs.org