On Friday, the Norwegian government announced it would drop the requirement for visible ears on passport photos so that people can wear turbans or hijabs on passport pictures.
Minister of Justice and Emergency Management Monica Mæland (H) told newspaper Vårt Land that the change also applies to non-religious headgear.
The minister noted that the passports and the national ID cards would be secure enough even with this new change, despite the Norwegian police’s concerns.
“Absurd”
It didn’t take long for Siv Jensen, the leader of the Progress Party (FRP), to react to the news – and she was not happy with the government’s decision.
“Here, we can see a Minister of Justice from the Conservative Party who is more concerned with complying with special religious wishes than with the credibility and security of Norwegian passports. It is absurd,” Jensen said.
Mæland noted that there “must be a proportionality between the demands” the authorities make, “especially when they are perceived to discriminate and prevent religious freedom.”
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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