UK Muslim woman must remove veil to give trial evidence.

UK Muslim woman must remove veil to give trial evidence.(BBC).

A Muslim woman can stand trial wearing a full-face veil but must remove it to give evidence, a judge has ruled.

Judge Peter Murphy made the ruling at Blackfriars Crown Court in London where the woman is due to stand trial for one count of intimidating a witness.
The 22-year-old from Hackney had refused to remove her niqab and reveal her face in front of any man.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing.
The order means that if the woman still refuses to comply during her trial she could be jailed for Contempt of Court.
In a niqab the only part of the face that is visible is a narrow horizontal stripe showing the wearer's eyes.

The judge said he would offer the woman a screen to shield her from public view while giving evidence but that she had to be seen by him, the jury and lawyers.

At other times during the trial she will be allowed to keep her face covered while sitting in the dock.

In the ruling Judge Murphy said concealing the face would "drive a coach and horses through the way justice has been administered in England and Wales for centuries".
He added "the niqab has become the elephant in the courtroom" and there was widespread uncertainty and anxiety among judges over how to tackle the issue.
The judge said: "If judges in different cases in different places took differing approaches [to the niqab] the result would be judicial anarchy."
When asked if they would appeal the decision, the woman's lawyer said they would "consider our options".
At a previous hearing the issue of her identity was resolved when the woman removed her veil for a female police officer who verified her identity.
In the woman's defence, barrister Susan Meek argued that her human right to express her faith through her attire would be breached if she was asked to remove her veil against her wishes.
The judgement comes as Liberal Democrat Home Office minister Jeremy Browne said the government should consider banning Muslim girls from wearing veils in public places such as schools.

Mr Browne said he was "uneasy" about restricting freedoms but urged a national debate on the state's role in stopping veils being imposed on girls.

Hmmm.......The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, head of Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni world.“The niqab is a tradition and has nothing to do with Islam,” said Sheikh Tantawi, vowing to ban it in Al-Azhar schools.After the girl complied he insisted she should not wear it any more.“I tell you again that the niqab has nothing to do with Islam and it is only a mere custom. I understand the religion better than you and your parents.” The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar imam vowed to issue a ban against the face-veil in all schools linked to Al-Azhar.“Source