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Danish Justice Minister Lene Espersen: "We have decided to prohibit the wearing of all religious or political symbols while exercising the function of a magistrate, because a judge must be neutral and impartial."
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COPENHAGEN (AFP)---Danish judges will not be allowed to wear Muslim headscarves in court -- and the Christian cross, the Jewish skullcap and the Hindu turban will also be banned, the country's justice minister said.
"We have decided to prohibit the wearing of (all) religious or political symbols while exercising the function of a magistrate, because a judge must be neutral and impartial," Lene Espersen told reporters.
Her announcement comes after Denmark's far-right People's Party launched a newspaper campaign at the end of April against judges wearing Muslim headscarves in court.
The wearing of Muslim headscarfs in courtrooms was authorised in December, although the country has no Muslim judges at present. The decision was only revealed by the media recently, causing a public outcry.
New legislation is required to overturn the December ruling, but the support of the People's Party means the government will carry a comfortable majority.
Espersen is due to present draft legislation to parliament in the autumn.
