EU-Sikhs-Turban /WRD/

EU-Sikhs-Turban /WRD/ Sikhs challengeFrench turban ban in court Brussels, June 11, IRNA -- The Sikh community in France is filing a case in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) challenging the French law banning the wearing of the turban on ID document photos and driving licenses.
An international Sikh NGO called UNITED SIKHS told a press conference in the European Parliament in Brussels Monday that he case before the ECHR will be the first such case against France since it passed a law in March 2004 banning the wearing of religious symbols, including the Sikh turban and Muslim headscarves, in public schools Mejindarpal Kaur, director of UNITED SIKHS warned that if unchecked "the French law, which undermines the freedom for thought conscience and religion, will have a domino effect on this freedom globally." Shingara Mann Singh, a French national told the media that his replacement driver's licence was refused by the French authorities because he is wearing a turban in the photo.
"I will give up my head but not my turban," stressed the Sikh who has been living in France since more than 30 years.
France's highest administrative court, the Conseil D'Etat, has ruled that public security justifies a law which requires Sikhs to remove their turbans to be photographed for driver's licences.
A British Member of the European Parliament, Neena Gill, who is of Indian origin, called on France and other EU member states to reflect upon the British model.
"In Britain those wearing articles of faith including Turbans are treated equally. Many Turban wearing Sikhs are police officers, army officers and judges. Therefore I would ask French authorities to reconsider their position and treat Sikhs as equal members of their society," said Gill.
Between 6000 - 10000 Sikhs live in France.
Since the passing of the controversial French law banning religious symbols in French schools, six Sikh boys have been expelled from school.
Sikhs are required by their religion to wear their hair unshorn and covered at all times by a turban, an article of faith and an intrinsic aspect of the Sikh identity .
Muslims in France have also recently challenged the law prohibiting headscarf-wearing in schools.
However, in 2004 the European Court of Human Rights which is based in Strsbourg upheld a ban imposed by Istanbul university in Turkey on a student who refused to take off her Islamic headscarf.
260/1771 ::IRNA No.043 11/06/2007 23:12 --End ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ 23-12-26.F21 ô‘‏• ‎‘ْ—÷گ ؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤؤ