LONDON // A French Muslim couple living in Britain are to challenge France's ban on full-face coverings at the European Court of Human Rights, their lawyer said yesterday.
The couple lodged an application at the Strasbourg court to take on the French government over the ban on wearing Islamic veils, which they argue is "unnecessary, disproportionate and unlawful".
They claim it restricts their right to free movement across the EU, according to documents sent to the court. The wife is seeking £10,000 (Dh60,000) in damages for the alleged rights breach.
The couple live in central England with their two children. They have chosen to remain anonymous, because of "considerable hostility" in Britain and France to Muslim women wearing the full veil in public.
The lawyer, Robina Shah, in Birmingham, England, said: "The case clearly is of importance to my clients. As a result of the ban they have had to leave their country of nationality, as the ban restricts their freedom of choice, and that of their daughters."
In April France became the first country in Europe to apply a ban on full-face coverings, including the niqab and the burqa.
The decision triggered a political storm, with rights activists accusing the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, of targeting a vulnerable group to win back votes from the far right.
In the case, the documents sent to Strasbourg say the couple want to "reside and work in France" but the ban means "they have considerable reservations about living there on a permanent basis".
The principal applicant is the husband who "expects and instructs" his wife to wear the burqa and the niqab. But she "respects and follows" her husband's instructions of her own free will.
Her lawyers argue Muslim women in France are "not able to exercise their rights free from coercion, harassment and discrimination".
"The applicants, as French nationals exercising EU rights to free movement in the UK, have no alternative remedy other than an application to the court," the lawyers say.
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About Takalam
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TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
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Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
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THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
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