He noted: “I tried to take all your comments into account so that, while introducing the ban, we do not affect scarves, caps, sunglasses, and Santa Claus costumes... We are avoiding disputes about religious clothing to prevent discussions about fashion in various parts of the world.”
According to Matveev, this draft law is not directed against believers and focuses on ensuring safety in the country.
The proposed document suggests imposing fines of up to 30,000 rubles for wearing niqabs and any other clothing that conceals the face.
It is noted that this measure is aimed at terrorists and drug dealers; however, exceptions are provided for official activities and adverse weather conditions.
Deputy Sergey Obukhov emphasized that the law will not affect members of the "Russian Community," who use balaclavas during raids.
“The adoption of this law will not impact regions such as Siberia and the Far East, where there are harsh weather conditions, snowstorms, and strong winds. Furthermore, the 'Russian Community' does not use balaclavas outside of joint patrols with the police, which constitutes official activity,” he explained.
The amendments proposed by the deputies to the Code of Administrative Offenses clarify that wearing clothing that covers the face will not be considered a violation in cases related to medical indications, official activities, as well as participation in sports and cultural events, if this is due to weather conditions.
