Human rights, democracy, multiculturalism, and freedom of speech… These are the values that Europe has introduced to the whole world as their own… However, Europe, which lectures on human rights to the world, has once again betrayed these values.

A judge, handling a divorce case in Germany’s Brandenburg State, asked the female plaintiff to remove her headscarf. When she refused to remove it, the hearing was not held.

This is another demonstrative example of present day Islamophobia manifesting itself particularly through Muslim women and an example of the extreme level it can reach. We are tired of the orientalist and fascist attitudes Europe reveals at every opportunity when it comes to the headscarf of a Muslim woman.

This attitude, which disregards international law norms such as freedom of religion, freedom of belief and freedom of speech is a clear human rights violation. The right of access to justice as a requirement of a democratic constitutional state cannot be restricted in any way and the use of this right cannot be taken away because of a person’s religious or another identity.

A woman’s covering or revealing her head cannot be restricted even by law, as it will not affect the rights and freedoms of others. It is not possible to imagine a country of liberties that does not allow women to wear a headscarf to work in the public sector or even to become interns in the courts, let alone allow them in the courtroom as plaintiffs. We vehemently condemn the German judiciary’s practises that are not acceptable by any international text, including the country’s own constitution, and also condemn the German government for not taking the necessary measures to protect the rights and freedom of their citizens.