19 October 2010

Men ordered from courtroom for Muslim witness

Men were ordered out of a Perth court yesterday after a judge set down conditions to accommodate a woman giving evidence without her nikab.

But while male journalists and men from the public gallery were banned, 19 males involved in the trial --including 12 jurors -- were allowed to stay in the District Court room. The woman, known only as Tasneem, took off part of her head-to-toe nikab so that her face was revealed as she gave evidence via video link from a nearby room in the court complex.

Media organisations had applied to judge Shauna Deane for male journalists to be allowed to remain in court but their application was refused and the judge ruled that only men associated with the trial were allowed to stay. [The Australian] Read more