Egypt’s High Administrative Court has issued a final judgment banning the academic staff at Cairo University from wearing the face veil, or niqab, during classes.
The court rejected on Sunday all appeals against an administrative court’s judgment to uphold the decision of the President of Cairo University, in April 2015 banning face veils for the academic staff.
Sunday’s verdict is final and cannot be subject to appeal.
Back in 2016, the court received appeals from civil society against the ban, but the court ruled against it, explaining that the freedom of choosing clothes is considered a personal freedom guaranteed by the constitution, but such a freedom is not absolute and should be practiced with respect to public decency.
Sunday’s verdict is final and cannot be subject to appeal.
While the university’s regulations do not specify any adherence to a uniform or dress code for academic staff, the staff must adhere to university traditions. The court said that direct communication with students cannot be achieved when teaching staff wear a niqab
Regarding the ban on niqabs, the university had issued a decision to ban it back in 2009. However, the ban included both teachers and students from wearing it in campus and in university dorms. In 2010, the ban was dropped after a female professor filed a lawsuit and a Cairo court overturned the ban.
