--- description: Dutch parliament passed a law banning face-covering veils in public buildings, such as burqas, ski-masks, and helmets, but not on the street title: Dutch Lawmakers Pass Partial 'Burqa Ban' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltceab64c89950d1e6/698933f997cdffe9516b599b/gettyimages-474382660.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [The Netherlands](/tag/the-netherlands/) ## The Netherlands Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Dutch Lawmakers Have Passed a Partial Ban on Wearing a Burqas in Public Places by [Casey Quackenbush](/author/casey-quackenbush/) ## Casey Quackenbush Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 27, 2018 6:29 AM CUT  A woman wearing a burqa walks past the Palace of Justice in The Hague on Dec. 1, 2014. A woman wearing a burqa walks past the Palace of Justice in The Hague on Dec. 1, 2014.Jerry Lampen—AFP/Getty Images by [Casey Quackenbush](/author/casey-quackenbush/) ## Casey Quackenbush Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 27, 2018 6:29 AM CUT The Dutch parliament has approved a bill [banning face-covering veils](https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/dutch-approve-partial-ban-on-wearing-burqa-in-public "undefined") in public places such as schools, government buildings and hospitals, making the Netherlands the latest European country to enact legislation restricting burqas. Agence France-Presse reports that the bill proposes “a legal ban on wearing clothing that completely covers the face, or only shows the eyes, in educational institutions, on public transport, in government institutions and hospitals,” according to the upper house of parliament. The legislation was approved by 44 to 31 votes in the upper house Tuesday, clearing the final hurdle before it becomes law. The lower house approved the bill in 2016, according to Reuters, after [earlier attempts](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-netherlands-burqa-ban/dutch-senate-passes-law-enabling-partial-burqa-ban-idUSKBN1JM1I7 "undefined") at a broader ban failed. Burqas, ski-masks and helmets will all be prohibited in certain public buildings, but not on the street. Breaking the law can carry a fine of about €400, or about $466, the _Guardian_ reports. Supporters of the legislation say it is meant to address security concerns, but critics argue that it targets Muslim women. According to Reuters, 200 to 400 women wear burqas or niqab in the Netherlands. In 2014, the European court of human rights [upheld](http://time.com/2944421/france-burqa-niqab-ban-islam/ "undefined") France’s burqa ban, arguing that a ban on a face-veil did not violate religious freedom. The measure has led to approximately 1,600 arrests, according to the _Guardian_. [Denmark](http://time.com/5298049/denmark-ban-burqa-niqab-face-veils/ "undefined"), [France](http://time.com/2944421/france-burqa-niqab-ban-islam/ "undefined"), [Germany](http://time.com/4458846/germany-burqa-ban-angela-merkel/ "undefined"), have all introduced measures to restrict the burqa amid rising tension in Europe with Muslim populations. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5323164/netherlands-niqab-burqa-ban/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5323164/netherlands-niqab-burqa-ban/"},"headline":"Dutch Lawmakers Have Passed a Partial Ban on Wearing a Burqas in Public Places","datePublished":"2018-06-27T06:29:14.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T20:41:40.699Z","description":"The law bans face-covering garb in public buildings but not on the street","url":"https://time.com/5323164/netherlands-niqab-burqa-ban/","keywords":["The Netherlands","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltceab64c89950d1e6/698933f997cdffe9516b599b/gettyimages-474382660.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Casey Quackenbush","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/casey-quackenbush/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltceab64c89950d1e6/698933f997cdffe9516b599b/gettyimages-474382660.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"NETHERLANDS-POLITICS-ISLAM-RIGHTS-RELIGION","caption":"NETHERLANDS-POLITICS-ISLAM-RIGHTS-RELIGION","creditText":"Jerry Lampen—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/the-netherlands/","name":"The Netherlands"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5323164/netherlands-niqab-burqa-ban/","name":"Dutch Lawmakers Have Passed a Partial Ban on Wearing a Burqas in Public Places"}}]}] ```