Muslims face discrimination in the Netherlands and other European countries which breaches their human rights, according to a new report by Amnesty International.

The report, which focuses on the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and France, states the conclusions should not be taken to imply only Muslims are subject to religious discrimination.
And it stresses that criticism of Islam in line with freedom of speech principles is not the same as ‘specific discriminatory patterns’ against Muslims.
Nevertheless, Muslims do face discrimination, particularly in education and on the jobs market, the report said, adding that governments should do more to dispel misconceptions about their Muslim populations.
Schools
In terms of the Netherlands, the report singles out the case of a Muslim girl banned from wearing a headscarf to a Catholic school. The government should ensure educational establishments based on religious or political principles do not break human rights legislation, the report said.
The report also criticises the pending ban on the burqa, or face-covering Islamic garment, on public safety grounds. In particular, the report said the government has not taken the rights of women who face social exclusion into account when drawing up the ban.
In the Netherlands, some 5.5% of the population is classed as Muslim and this is expected to rise to 8% by 2030, the report says.
Read the report