On 24 June 24 2019, the council of the Bar Association of Lille amended its rules of procedure by adding the following to the section devoted to “relations with institutions”: “An advocate may not wear with the robe any decoration or sign ostensibly manifesting a religious, philosophical, community or political affiliation or opinion”. A student advocate who wished to wear the hijab in court and her pupil-master each lodged an appeal against the change. (The French text, rather unhelpfully, describes her as wishing to wear “le voile ou le foulard”, though Reuters reports that the applicant, Ms Sarah Asmeta, wears the hijab.)

The case came before the highest civil court in France, the Cour de Cassation. Continue reading →