Must Unveil In Court?

[mushroom25]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10261550/Muslim-woman-must-remove-burka-in-court-judge-insists.html

a sound legal principle? Or is the learned judge just exposing his prejudices?

[loobylou]

Seems sound to me as the court needs to satisfy itself that the person behind the burka is who they say they are.

[viv38]

^ totally agree.

[sir.prize]

Same thing would apply at an airport.

[Mamyalynne]

There were perfectly valid alternatives to unveiling in front of men given but the Judge refused them.

[ummmm]

I agree with the judge.

[sir.prize]

I agree with the judge too. Otherwise there is the possibility of Muslim men defendants may appear in court in full-length burkas!

[New Judge]

"The defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons..."

Or at all, it seems.

[youngmafbog]

No prejudices being shown, simple common sense.

She is in court and needs to be identified as she is in the dock.

I agree totally with the judge in this particular instance.

[ichkeria]

It seems silly to me. By all means enforce an 'unveiling' to establish the person's identity but there is no need for the person to remain unveiled in the courtroom.
Unless the judge doesn't trust anyone and thinks that for some odd reason a substitute might have volunteered to take her place :-)

[Orderlimit]

Guidance on the wearing of veils in court (2007)

http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2007/news-release-1607

[ToraToraTora]

sound legal principle.

[ummmm]

Facial expressions can mean more than words.

[Octavius]

Every time she stands in the dock (assuming it could be over different days) they should be able to confirm her identity in this way, it makes sense to me.

[Zeuhl]

Women may be anonymous drones in many of the arab countries

but in the UK (and other western cultures) being able to see someone's face is an important part of assessing them and the reliability of what they say

this would be a factor when someone is giving evidence or in assessing their reactions to other people's evidence

If I was in the dock I might want to wear a ski mask but I doubt it would be allowed

this person's cultural peculiarities are secondary to our judicial practices

I'm assuming she isn't expecting (if found guilty) punishment in line with certain Muslim countries

If she refuses she should be jailed for contempt.

[hc4361]

The law must be open. Nobody should be allowed to give evidence whilst hiding their face (except for those already in a category that allows them to be shielded).

Apart from the fact that facial expressions are a very important and useful non-verbal communication tool, it would be too easy for a burkha wearer to have an earpiece connected to an open mobile phone.

[naomi24]

Sound legal principle.

[FredPuli43]

How does such a woman get a driving licence or a passport? Let us assume that she is not forbidden by her menfolk to drive or travel abroad. Not only is she required to have a full face photo taken but she has to show it to all those who have a legal or contractual right to see it, regardless of their gender

It's nonsense for her to only give evidence with her face covered and the judicial principle is correct.

[hc4361]

Fred, at airports she will be taken behind a screen and show her face to a woman official.
Passport and driving licence photos are usually taken in a private booth and there is no problem with officials of any gender seeing that photo.