The Hong Kong Free Press reports…
After years of campaigning, Hong Kong barristers from religious minorities have won the right to wear headgear associated with their faith instead of traditional horsehair wigs in court.
The amended rule, approved by the council of the Hong Kong Bar Association last week, allows Jewish, Muslim and Sikh barristers to wear such head coverings without prior approval from the court
Such headwear must be of “unemphatic colour,” and “must not cover the face as a general rule,” according to the amendment.
Barrister Azan Marwah, who raised the issue with then-Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma in 2015, told HKFP he decided to fight for the change after his friend, Sikh barrister Harprabdeep Singh, told him that he was not sure whether to wear a wig in court.
“I am very happy that the Bar has shown that they understand equality isn’t about paying lip service to ideas; it’s about changing how you do things to include people who are historically excluded,” said Marwah.
“It’s taken a long time to educate people about the problem, show them that there is nothing to fear, and that minorities can be incorporated with some effort.”
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