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November 9, 2006

UK: Muslim Lawyer Wins Right To Wear Veil In Court

On Monday, November 6, an immigration tribunal was adjourned in Hamley, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, because a woman lawyer refused to remove her veil.

Judge George Glossop said to Shabnam Mughal: "I am not very happy that you are appearing in a veil. Would you kindly remove it to assist with communications? It will allow me to see your face and I cannot hear you as well as I would like."

Mughal responded: "Sir, we have been through this issue." She left the hearing shortly after, saying: "Sir, I am taking my leave.' Judge Glossop adjourned the case. When the tribunal reconvened later in the day, he again asked her to remove the veil, and again she refused. The judge asked: "Do you wish to carry on?" and Mughal replied: "No, I just want to listen to what is being said."

The judge told her: "If you remove your veil, which happens in other cases, we can proceed, otherwise I am going to have consultations with the president of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. Will you remove it?"

Mughal replied: "You are clearly aware of my position on the grounds of my religious beliefs. I won't."

The case was adjourned until the following Monday (November 13). Judge Glossop consulted the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) about the issue, which was to be arbitrated by Mr Justice Hodge, the husband of Margaret Hodge, former leader of Islington Council. Justice Hodge is president of the AIT.

Today, according to Associated Press via the Jerusalem Post, Hodge has ruled that Mughal is entitled to wear a veil in court.

However, his ruling is worded that the lawyer can wear the item if he/she "has the agreement of his or her client and can be heard reasonably clearly by all parties to the proceedings, then the representative should be allowed to do so."

Judge George Glossop stated clearly that "I cannot hear you as well as I would like."

Therefore, the grounds on which Glossop required clarification are still undecided. When the case, involving a Sikh businessman's appeal against his nephew being barred from Britain, will be heard again on Monday, Judge Glossop will still be able to ask Mughal to either remove her veil or retire from the tribunal.

Conservative MPs criticized the attitude of Mughal, who dresses from head to toe in black cloth.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 9, 2006 12:48 PM

Comments

Posted by: pigtails not veils at November 10, 2006 12:42 AM

Posted by: bluebell at November 10, 2006 7:34 AM

Posted by: bluebell at November 10, 2006 7:35 AM

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