Veiled women and biometric documents: “Zerhouni resolves the vexed equation”

The Algerian Minister of the Interior and Local Assemblies, Nourredine Yazid Zerhouni, has finally put an end to the outstanding controversy related to photographs of veiled women destined to biometric passports and identity cards.

• Nourrredine Yazid Zerhouni announced that the veil should be taken off in consistence with international regulations which require that the person’s forehead and the ears should be visible on the photograph.
• Zerhouni also affirmed that the Interior Ministry had seen to it that the wearing of the veil be respected with the designation of women at each administrative district (Daira) in charge of taking the photographs of all veiled women willing to secure biometric documents.
• On the sidelines of a regional seminar on biometric documents held yesterday in Algiers, the interior Minister explained that there was no problem at all with digital identity photographs for those women wearing the veil.
• He indicated that the number of designated women entrusted with fulfilling this task at each Daira had been set at 553 so as to ensure the smooth running of the operation.
• The Interior Minister, who was at the start not very clear on the matter, has this time straightfully declared that the veil should be imperatively taken off for this type of photographs, thus putting an end to the long drawn-out controversy and speculation on this very issue.