Portugal no longer allows people to cover their faces in the street, hospitals, sports courts, or demonstrations. Fines of up to 3.000 euros for anyone who wears a burqa, niqab, or any garment that conceals the face, except for medical, weather-related, or security reasons.
For some, it is common sense: no one should walk through a public space without being identifiable, and the rules of coexistence apply equally to everyone. For others, it is a direct intrusion into religious freedom and every woman’s right to decide about her own body.
The law does not mention Islam in any of its articles, but everyone knows whom it targets. Is it a reasonable security measure or a disguised form of discrimination?