Erdogan condemns EU court ruling on headscarves ban
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday hit out an EU court ruling allowing employers in some cases to ban staff from wearing headscarves at work.
Erdogan, a devout Muslim leading an Islamic-rooted party, presents himself as an advocate of Muslims worldwide, frequently defending the faith against Islamophobia.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday that a ban on religious symbols such as headscarves "may be justified by the employer's need to present a neutral image towards customers or to prevent social disputes".
Erdogan said the ruling impinged on religious freedoms.
"The court should change its name. It has no relation to a court of justice. For it to be a court of justice, it should first learn what freedom of religion is," Erdogan said.
"There can't be a court of justice that doesn't understand freedom of religion," he added during a press conference in Istanbul.
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