Anti-extremism regulation taking shape

The legislature of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region plans to draft a regulation by 2016 to curb religious extremism. It may include a ban on wearing clothes in public linked to religious extremism such as full face and body coverings, the head of the legislature said.

"There are different opinions after the legislators of Urumqi, the capital of the region, passed a regulation banning full face and body coverings in public in February. The fact is that such clothes are not traditional ethnic costumes, but expressions of religious extremism," said Nayim Yasen, director of the Standing Committee of the Xinjiang People's Congress, during the annual session of the National People's Congress.

He added that the regional legislature is considering including the same article in its anti-extremism draft regulation.