Italy Burqa/Niqab Ban and Mosque Funding Restrictions
Italy has a layered history of restricting Muslim religious expression, from a 1975 anti-terrorism face covering law to Lombardy's 2015 regional burqa ban. Under Giorgia Meloni's government, Brothers of Italy introduced a sweeping 2025 bill to ban the burqa and niqab in all public spaces with fines up to 3,000 euros, alongside mosque funding disclosure requirements. The party also targeted informal Muslim prayer spaces used by Italy's 2.6 million Muslims. Imams have been deported for pro-Palestinian speech, and the ECRI found Italy's political discourse has become 'increasingly xenophobic' with hate speech by politicians going unchallenged.
Timeline
November 25, 2025
Turin Imam Arrested for Deportation Over Pro-Palestinian Speech
Police detained Mohamed Shahin, a 47-year-old Egyptian imam in Turin, for deportation after comments at a pro-Palestinian rally. Protests erupted across Italy, and an appeals court ordered his release, ruling his statements didn't justify removal.
SourceOctober 7, 2025
Meloni's Party Tables National Burqa and Niqab Ban Bill
Brothers of Italy introduced a bill banning the burqa and niqab in all public spaces with fines of 300-3,000 euros. The bill also requires religious organizations to disclose all funding sources and criminalizes virginity testing and forced marriages.
SourceOctober 22, 2024
ECRI Criticizes Italy's 'Increasingly Xenophobic' Discourse
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance found Italy's public discourse had become 'increasingly xenophobic' with hate speech by politicians going unchallenged. It issued 15 recommendations.
SourceOctober 8, 2024
Imam Deported After 30 Years in Italy
Interior Minister Piantedosi ordered the deportation of Zulfiqar Khan, a 54-year-old Pakistani imam in Bologna who had lived in Italy since 1995, citing radical sermons and social media posts.
SourceFebruary 23, 2024
Monfalcone Mayor Bans Muslim Prayer in Cultural Centers
Far-right Mayor Anna Maria Cisint banned Muslim worshippers from praying in the city's two Islamic cultural centers, leaving roughly 8,000 Bangladeshi Muslim shipyard workers with no place to pray.
SourceJune 15, 2023
FdI Proposes Ban on Muslim Prayer Spaces Outside Mosques
Meloni's Brothers of Italy prepared a draft law to ban Muslim prayer in garages, warehouses, and informal spaces, targeting the 800+ informal prayer spaces used by Italy's 2.6 million Muslims who have very few official mosques.
SourceDecember 10, 2015
Lombardy Region Bans Burqa and Niqab in Public Buildings
Lombardy became the first Italian region to explicitly outlaw Islamic face coverings in government buildings and hospitals, justified by security concerns. Italy's Justice Minister criticized it as 'symbolic propaganda.'
SourceAugust 2, 2011
Parliamentary Committee Approves Burqa Ban Draft
The Constitutional Affairs Committee approved a draft law banning full-face veils in public places. The proposal ultimately failed to pass before the parliamentary session ended.
SourceOctober 1, 2008
Council of State Rules Religious Face Coverings Legal
Italy's Council of State ruled that full-face veils for cultural or religious reasons were 'justified' and legal, protecting religious face coverings from prosecution under the 1975 law.
SourceMay 22, 1975
Italy Passes Anti-Terrorism Face Covering Law
Italy enacted Law No. 152/1975 (Legge Reale) prohibiting masks or clothing making identification impossible in public. Though not targeting Muslims, it would later be invoked in debates over Islamic face coverings.
SourceQuick Stats