What’s to be done?
Unfortunately, “the judgment cannot be appealed since it was handed down by the Grand Chamber of the European Court.” Nonetheless, it is my take that the matter is not yet over. The said woman, “a 24-year-old French woman of Pakistani origin had brought the case before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, arguing that the original 2011 French ban on face-covering veils, intended to protect her against oppression, instead violated her rights to freedom of religion, expression and assembly, and was discriminatory” can bring this issue of humanistic and universal importance to the United Nations.
Article 18 of the United Nations INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON
CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS expressly provides that:
1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.
2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.
Therefore, anyone who is aggrieved by the stupid and preposterous French law banning the wearing the veil can invoke this international law and sue France before the United Nations.
To France, shame on you and quote the words of Louise Roug: “So much for Liberté, Égalité and Fraternité.”
Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Unibersidad de Manila
Unfortunately, “the judgment cannot be appealed since it was handed down by the Grand Chamber of the European Court.” Nonetheless, it is my take that the matter is not yet over. The said woman, “a 24-year-old French woman of Pakistani origin had brought the case before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, arguing that the original 2011 French ban on face-covering veils, intended to protect her against oppression, instead violated her rights to freedom of religion, expression and assembly, and was discriminatory” can bring this issue of humanistic and universal importance to the United Nations.
Article 18 of the United Nations INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON
CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS expressly provides that:
1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.
2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.
Therefore, anyone who is aggrieved by the stupid and preposterous French law banning the wearing the veil can invoke this international law and sue France before the United Nations.
To France, shame on you and quote the words of Louise Roug: “So much for Liberté, Égalité and Fraternité.”
Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Unibersidad de Manila