Limiting religious symbols to private sphere is unconstitutional, says Spanish bishop

Madrid, Spain, Apr 26, 2010 / 10:06 am

Referencing an incident in which a Madrid high school banned a student from classes because she would not remove her Islamic veil, spokesman for the Spanish Bishops' Conference, Bishop Juan Antonio Martinez Camino affirmed that it is “unconstitutional to prohibit or limit religious freedom” within the country.

According to the Spanish newspaper, La Razon, Bishop Martinez Camino made his comments during a press conference in which he summarized the discussions at the bishops’ recent plenary assembly.  The conversations touched on the use of traditional Islamic veils at schools.

Earlier this month, a 16-year-old high school student in Madrid was banned from attending classes because she refused to remove her Islamic veil.

After noting that the Spanish Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and worship, Bishop Martinez Camino warned that it would be “erroneous to conclude that religious symbols belong in private sphere.”

He called the application of this particular article of the Constitution “complex,”  but stressed that “the limiting of religious symbols to private life is an unacceptable solution.”