They Call Me Muslim

The Film *They Call Me Muslim* follows the story of a muslim, Samah, living in France, and a muslim woman living in Iran. Samah is a student who wants the ability to wear a headscarf at a school where it is banned. The woman in Iran does not want to wear a headscarf or any sort of head covering, but is required to by the Iranian regime.

I would like to provide some details regarding the case law of France’s legislation on the wearing of the headscarf in schools.

In 2004 the French government enacted a law banning the wearing of religious symbols in all government elementary and secondary schools. Many felt this law was meant to target muslim students in France. This law was challenged and appealed to the European Court of Human Rights by two muslim students, which uphold the law in 2008: http://www.dw.com/en/french-headscarf-ban-not-discrimination-says-european-court/a-3850797.

However, a Sikh student appealed to the United Nations, which sided against the French law, in 2012: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/case-watch-new-perspective-france-s-ban-religious-headcoverings-schools. It is not clear to me what the consequences are of France ignoring this ruling.

One thought on “They Call Me Muslim

  1. I still shocking for me to see how society keeps attacking or persecuting Muslims only because of actions from some that auto proclaimed as such. I do not understand actually what will be the goal in preventing women to wear headscarf . Instead of stopping the vice, they aggravate the situation because this law brings more anger than good. It will not end up very well.