French Islamic Council Warns of Rising Violence Against Hijab-Wearing Women Amid Political Stigmatization

French Islamic Council Warns of Rising Violence Against Hijab-Wearing Women Amid Political Stigmatization
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The French Islamic Council has warned of the consequences of political rhetoric targeting Muslim women who wear the hijab in France, stressing that linking the hijab to extremism contributes to social stigmatization and exposes women to insults, threats, intimidation, and attacks.

In a statement, the council condemned remarks by some political figures seeking to associate hijab-wearing Muslim women with extremist ideologies, describing such positions as “irresponsible” because of their potential direct impact on women’s safety in French society.

The council stressed that rhetoric portraying women who wear the hijab as suspicious or threatening does not remain confined to political debate. Instead, it can contribute to creating a more hostile social environment and expose them to increased discrimination and harassment.

The council noted that hijab-wearing women already face various forms of insults, threats, intimidation, and attacks, warning that continued political and media escalation over the hijab could intensify the phenomenon.

It stressed that those who contribute to fueling such rhetoric bear political and moral responsibility for its consequences, calling for the issue to be addressed in a manner that safeguards women’s dignity, rights, and personal freedom.

At the same time, the council rejected the portrayal of the hijab as a product of a contemporary extremist ideology, noting that head covering in various forms has religious and historical roots in traditions associated with Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The council emphasized that the French Republic’s position should be based on respecting a woman’s freedom to choose what she wears, whether she decides to wear the hijab or not, while ensuring her protection from discrimination, threats, and violence because of that choice.

The council’s position comes amid renewed political debate in France over the hijab and religious symbols, alongside proposals and calls for additional restrictions on wearing the hijab in public spaces. The issue has once again placed religious freedom and the rights of Muslim women at the center of France’s political and social debate.