What is changing.
Reporting on niqab from news outlets worldwide, summarised with a link to the original. Legislation, court rulings, research and public debate.
29 September 2026
Italy bans face coverings in schools by decree
Italy's government approved a decree on 24 September banning face coverings in schools, with €200-€1,000 fines. Parliament has 60 days to act.
Read the summary20 August 2026
A woman threatened on a London bus for wearing niqab says it happens daily
Salsabil, 21, was verbally abused and threatened with death on a London bus on 31 July 2026 for wearing niqab. She says the incident was not unusual: London's reported Islamophobic offences rose 31% over the past year.
Read the summary19 August 2026
Portugal signs a face-covering ban into law
President António José Seguro signed the ban on 18 August 2026, after parliament passed it in July. Amnesty International says it threatens several human rights. Fines reach €3,000.
Read the summary18 August 2026
Where face veils are restricted: a running list
France, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland have national restrictions. Portugal joined in August 2026. Spain restricts regionally. This list is checked periodically and dated.
Read the summary18 August 2026
The UK has no ban — but the argument is live
Government policy rejects a general ban, and institutions set their own rules instead. Petitions, Reform UK, and now a Conservative Party review keep the question live without moving it into law.
Read the summary26 July 2026
A Spanish region legislates what its cities could not
Valencia's PP–Vox coalition wrote a face-covering ban into regional law in July 2026, covering hospitals, transport, schools, and public buildings, after years of municipal bans that courts found unenforceable for lack of legal backing.
Read the summary16 July 2026
Denmark moves to extend its ban into schools and universities
Already banned in public since 2018, Denmark's government is seeking to extend the niqab and burqa ban to educational institutions, framed as tackling "parallel societies." A bill was expected in early 2026; by July it was still advancing, not yet passed.
Read the summary28 March 2026
Dutch court orders prosecution after niqab-wearing customer was refused service
The Court of Appeal in The Hague ordered the Dutch Public Prosecution Service to prosecute a fishmonger who refused to serve a woman wearing niqab. The ruling does not decide whether discrimination occurred; that question is now for a criminal court to decide.
Read the summary22 October 2018
Two international rulings on France’s ban, and they disagree
The European Court of Human Rights upheld France’s ban in 2014. The UN Human Rights Committee found it violated human rights in 2018. Both rulings still stand, and each side cites the one that favours it.
Read the summary