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Journalism of Courage
Syria has forbidden the countrys students and teachers from wearing the niqab,the full Islamic veil that reveals only a womans eyes,taking aim at a garment many see as political.
The ban shows a rare point of agreement between Syrias secular,authoritarian government and the democracies of Europe: Both view the niqab as a potentially destabilising threat.
We have given directives to all universities to ban niqab-wearing women from registering a government official in Damascus told on Monday. The order affects both public and private universities and aims to protect Syrias secular identity,said the official,who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the issue.
Hundreds of primary school teachers who were wearing the niqab at government-run schools were transferred last month to administrative jobs,he added.
