Portuguese President António José Seguro has enacted a law that broadly prohibits the covering of faces in public spaces. The measure, referred to by local media as the "burqa law," was adopted by the Portuguese parliament last month and aims to ban coverings that obscure a person's face or prevent identification.
The law includes several carve-outs, allowing face coverings for reasons related to health, professional activities, artistic expression, or weather. It also permits them in locations of worship, diplomatic missions, and aboard airplanes.
Individuals who violate the new law may face fines ranging from 150 euros to 3,000 euros, approximately $175 to $3,500.
According to a press release translated into English, the uncovered face is considered a fundamental aspect of social trust and a characteristic of Portuguese society by the President of the Republic. The decision is underpinned by principles of social integration, non-discrimination based on gender, and security, aligning with rulings by the European Court of Human Rights. The court's conviction that the face is central to human identity and communication, serving as a minimal element for mutual recognition among citizens, is shared by the President. The release further states that requiring women, and only women, to hide their entire faces implies an asymmetry incompatible with the values of parity and equal dignity between men and women, which are foundational to European democracies.