Iceland MPs renew proposal for ban on face coverings in public

Seven MPs from Iceland’s Centre Party have again submitted a parliamentary resolution calling on the justice minister to prepare a bill banning face coverings in public spaces and present it to parliament no later than next year, mbl.is reports.

The group includes all of the party’s MPs except Sigríður Á. Andersen. The MPs refer to legislation adopted in several European countries.

The proposal says the aim is to establish a clear and comprehensive legal framework concerning public safety, the provision of public services and basic conditions for human interaction in an open and democratic society. Icelandic law already contains general provisions on public order and safety, as well as provisions allowing authorities to require identification in certain circumstances, but lacks a specific and clear general rule on covering the face in public spaces, it says.

The MPs refer to a general ban introduced in France in 2010, and partial bans in certain public spaces introduced in Denmark in 2018 and the Netherlands in 2019. Similar provisions also exist in Belgian and Swiss law, according to the proposal.

The proposed legislation would be based on three main considerations: enabling people to be identified in public spaces, protecting public order and safety, and maintaining minimum standards for mutual human interaction in an open society.

The MPs say clearly defined exceptions would be needed, including for health reasons, occupational safety, weather conditions, sports and lawful religious practices inside religious buildings. They also say enforcement should primarily rely on information, warnings and dialogue, with penalties used moderately and without imprisonment.