Judicial employees given permission to wear niqab

Yesterday, the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) permitted the wearing of the niqab (veil covering face) for employees who work in the judicial field.

The organization released a circular stating Article 129 of the Judicial Employees Regulations has seen an amendment.

Before the article was amended, it was stated that the service provider was to be identified. It also stated that employees were to be identifiable during working hours.

But with the amendments to the article, employees in the judicial sector who wish to wear the niqab may do so without any consequence. The amendment goes on to say that while in a working environment, if an individual who wears the niqab needs to be identified, they would have to show their face to the court or a female employee who is working in said office.

The DJA has requested that courts and organizations comply with this amendment from Sunday onwards.

In the past, some government organizations have removed employees from their posts for wearing the niqab to work. One of the biggest obstacles for women who apply to the judicial field was the prohibition of wearing the niqab.

The DJA is currently working on modernizing some of their regulations.