2,000 people in Bosnia has made a march protest after the government issued a ban on the use of customary Muslim headscarf called the Hijab in judiciary institutions. The protest in the country's capital was attended mostly by women claiming that they are simply fighting for their rights.
As reported by International Business Times, a decision was reached a couple of months ago to prohibit the use of religious symbols of all faiths in courts and legal organizations. The hijab was also explicitly mentioned in such order which was just recently revealed in January and has since been cause of upheaval.
"We gathered to protest against prejudices, discrimination and marginalization", Samira Zunic Velagic, one of the protest organizers said. "The ban of wearing hijab in judicial institutions is a serious attack against Muslim honor, personality and identity, a violation ... aimed at depriving them of their right to work", Velagic added.
The new order was made by Bosnia's high judicial council. According to Arab News, it concerns judges and other citizens in the sector.
"We came here to say that we are not the victims of this scarf. We came to defend our rights. It is our crown, our liberty, our honor," a stay-at-home mother, Elisa Hamovac said.
According to Time, the protest was an hour long and was done in the country's capital in Sarajevo. Before Bosnia achieved its independence from Yugoslavia in 1992, the country was prohibited from using the headscarf.
However, the latest protest was caused by a decision a high judicial court. During the protest, the women carried banners some of which saying , "Hijab is my Daily Choice," "Hijab is my Right" or "Hijab is my Life."
As of now, 40% of Bosnia's 3.8 million population is comprised of Muslims while majority in the said country are of Christians.
