A fine of 1,000 dollars is proposed for wearing a burqa in Switzerland

 The Swiss government has sent a draft law to parliament calling for a $1,000 fine for wearing the burqa.

Following a referendum last year on the face covering, the bill, known as the 'burqa ban', was sent to Parliament yesterday. A ban on the burqa was supported by 51.2% of voters in the referendum, but was criticized at the time as Islamophobic and sexist.

After consultation, the Cabinet rejected calls to remove the ban in the Criminal Code and fine offenders up to $10,000. According to the Cabinet, the purpose of the ban on face covering is to ensure public safety and peace, punishment is not the priority.

About 5 percent of Switzerland's population of 8.6 million people are Muslim, most of them from Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. Lucerne University estimates that only 30 women in the country wear the niqab.