The Iranian women’s rights campaigner who supports the burkini ban in France France’s controversial burkini ban has been criticised as a violation of women’s rights and an attack on the freedom of […]

France’s controversial burkini ban has been criticised as a violation of women’s rights and an attack on the freedom of religious expression.

But a Muslim campaigner for women’s rights in Iran is in favour of the ban, and urges French Muslims not to “provoke a society” still reeling from extremist attacks.

Darya Safai, who staged a protest at the Rio Olympics to raise awareness of the fact women cannot enter sports stadiums in Iran, says Muslim women in France should adopt European values rather than wear a “symbol of discrimination”.

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Ms Safai, who fled persecution in Iran and now lives in Belgium, supports the ban imposed by French authorities in beach resorts including Nice, where an Islamist attack claimed 86 lives in July.

“I think women should be banned from wearing the burkini,” she says.

“People should not try to provocate a society that is already in turmoil. In Europe, we have had a lot of attacks, ideological attacks. Nowadays you see the hijab as part of Sharia law and there is an ideology behind it. Muslim women should not provoke the problems.”

‘European values’

She says: “Why are these women always choosing Islamic values? We are European also. The values that we have here in Europe is having the same rights, women and men.

“Women should know there is a law there [on the beach]. If you know the people of your country don’t like something which is based on disrespect of the human right, you should protect the values of your country otherwise you create segregation and communitarianism.”

‘Instrument of subjugation’

Ms Safai, who has not worn a headscarf since she left Iran – where the veil is enforced by law – believes the hijab is used as an “instrument to subjugate women”.

She does not believe Muslim women who say they have chosen to wear the veil have made a “free” choice.

“I don’t believe the choice to wear the veil is a free choice. It is indoctrination. Those women become the most dangerous because they say, ‘this is my choice’.

“They grow up in a society where women learn to be subjugated, like we put a dog on a collar and they learn to obey us.”