A woman in nikab is the Islamic Council’s new face outwards

General Secretary Mehtab Afsar in IRNOslo. General Secretary Mehtab Afsar in IRN.Photo : Vegard Wivestad Grøtt / NTB scanpix

The Islamic Council of Norway has appointed Leyla Hasic, known for wearing the face covering nikab, to be responsible for communication with, and build bridges to, the society at large.

The newly appointed Management Consultant of the Islamic Council of Norway (Islamsk Råd, IRN), Leyla Hasic, has distinguished herself in the public debate as a strong defender of the full-face veil known as Nikab, Klassekampen reveals.

According to the job description her tasks include communication work, writing of applications and IT operations. She was not willing to comment on the appointment, but referred to the General Secretary Mehtab Afsar in IRN.

– What people have inside their head is more important than what they have on their heads, says Afsar to Klassekampen. He believes the appointment shows that IRN has an open attitude.

The appointment comes after a request from the Ministry of Culture and IRN themselves  that the organization should be better at performing these functions as an umbrella organization, promoting unity among Muslims and their sense of belonging in the Norwegian society.

The Government started last autumn efforts to ban full-face garments in Norwegian schools, colleges and universities. Labour, Venstre, SV, FRP, KrF and SP have in Parliament supported the ban in schools- and a ban could therefore be in place this year already.

 
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today