A Quebec court judge has told a woman appearing in her Montreal courtroom she would not hear her case unless the woman removed her hijab.
In an audio recording of the proceeding obtained by CBC, Judge Eliana Marengo is heard telling Rania El-Alloul on Tuesday that the courtroom is a secular place, and that she is not suitably dressed.
“Hats and sunglasses for example, are not allowed. And I don’t see why scarves on the head would be either,” Marengo says in the recording.
“The same rules need to be applied to everyone. I will therefore not hear you if you are wearing a scarf on your head, just as I would not allow a person to appear before me wearing a hat or sunglasses on his or her head, or any other garment not suitable for a court proceeding.”
When I watched this video my eyes welled up with tears.The judge could have said in polite and pleasant way.The tone of the respected judge was a little harsh.The Kuwait lady was not appearing for her breaking law.Any how one month passes quickly but the Kuwait lady will wear the scar and humiliation for the rest of her life.The passing of time is also a healing factor.She is a muslim so prayer will do best for her.
I have a first cousin from maternal side an ahmedi in California who looks like her.She is 2 years younger than me ,who wears scarf exactly like Kuwait lady. she wears a big hat when she travels .Here I have seen even few ahmedi muslim women who have grown up here wearing hats with all the hair out !!!!!!!!!!!!.
in the public places.
I don’t know how many people were in the court ,the judge
was a lady so it would not be too hard if she could take off her scarf from only her head for a short court proceeding.If I were on her place ,I would have felt the same humiliation of the double standards of the small scale courts.May Allah help and be her guardian. Aameen.