Lawmakers Propose New Law Making Possession of a Photo of a Muslim Woman Without Her Hijab a Crime

Possessing photos of a Muslim woman without her hijab could soon become a criminal offense in the UK. A parliamentary committee is urging the government to classify such images as “non-consensual intimate images,” putting them on the same legal level as child sexual abuse material.

Key Facts:

UK MPs propose criminalizing possession of photos showing Muslim women without their hijabs if taken without consent.
The Women and Equalities Committee wants these images classified as “non-consensual intimate images.”
If passed, the measure would amend the Crime and Policing Bill and could become law by the end of the year.
Critics argue the proposal grants Islam special legal protections not extended to other religions.
A government minister previously warned that such a law could lead to “overcriminalization.”

The Rest of The Story:

The UK’s Women and Equalities Committee, led by Labour MP Sarah Owen, is pushing for an expanded definition of “non-consensual intimate images.”

Their report argues that images of Muslim women without their religious coverings can cause “life-changing and life-threatening consequences.”

Some warn this proposed new law would lead to selective enforcement and stretch police resources already overwhelmed by violent crime.

The Ministry of Justice previously resisted similar legal changes, arguing that defining “culturally intimate” images in a legally enforceable way is nearly impossible.

Nevertheless, the committee insists that failure to criminalize possession of such images leaves a dangerous legal loophole.

Owning images of Muslim women without their hijab should be a criminal offence, Labour MPs proposed.

"Such photographs should be treated the same as child sex abuse images, possession of which can carry long prison sentences," the MPs said. pic.twitter.com/TnTXFGDFiV

— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) March 5, 2025

Commentary:

This proposal marks another step in the UK’s slow march toward enforcing religious restrictions under the guise of cultural sensitivity.

By equating photos of a woman without her hijab to explicit child abuse material, MPs are elevating Islamic customs above British legal traditions.

What other religious rules will be enforced next?

Will police be asked to prosecute those who share photos of ex-Muslims who have left the faith?

The most concerning aspect is the double standard.

Would the same legal protections be extended to Christians, Sikhs, or Jews if images of them violating their religious customs were shared?

Or is this just another example of Western governments bending over backward to appease a specific ideology?

Moreover, law enforcement resources are already stretched thin.

As Policy Exchange’s David Spencer pointed out, officers are struggling to address serious crimes like stabbings, sexual assaults, and thefts.

Should police be tasked with policing cultural sensitivities rather than protecting the public from actual threats?

The broader issue is the slow erosion of free expression.

Once the legal system starts criminalizing content based on cultural offense rather than tangible harm, the door opens for further speech restrictions.

At what point does this become an informal blasphemy law?

Reminder that this push to criminalise possessing images of Muslim women without face veils follows an ISIS terrorist complaining that her mugshot was taken without a niqab.

We know who benefits from this blasphemy law.

We should be banning burqas, not appeasing Islamists. https://t.co/0ejRz4xkiH pic.twitter.com/Y1M91FGiCd

— Connor Tomlinson (@Con_Tomlinson) March 6, 2025

The Bottom Line:

This proposal represents a dangerous shift toward legal enforcement of religious norms in Britain.

If passed, it risks creating a two-tiered legal system where some religions receive special protections while others do not.

Free speech and personal liberties are under threat, and the government must tread carefully before turning cultural sensitivities into criminal offenses.