The government in Australia's most populous state has given the police new powers to order the removal of burqas and other face veils. The authorities say the rules will help officers during routine roadside checks if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a crime has been committed. While Islamic organizations say they are comfortable with the changes, civil libertarians believe they give the police unnecessary powers.
澳大利亚人口最多的州政府授予警方新的权力，他们必要时可以命令民众脱掉遮住全身的伊斯兰罩袍和其他的面纱。当局说，如果警员有充分的理由相信有犯罪发生了，这项规定将能帮助他们进行路边盘查。伊斯兰组织说他们对这项改变没有意见，但支持公民自由权利的人认为，这给了警方不必要的权力。
New South Wales has introduced the changes following a high-profile case in which a Muslim woman accused a police officer of racism after he demanded she remove her burqa during a roadside check.
新南威尔斯州在一个备受关注的案子后作出了这项改变。在这起案子中，一名伊斯兰妇女指控一名警员种族歧视，因这名警员在路边盘查时要求她脱掉遮住全身的伊斯兰罩袍。
The Sydney woman was sentenced to prison for six months for falsely accusing the officer of forcing her to remove her veil during a random breath test.
这名悉尼妇女由于虚假指控警员强迫她脱掉罩袍接受酒醉呼吸测试，所以被判处6个月监禁。
But her conviction was overturned on appeal when a judge found that the prosecution couldn't prove it was the defendant who had knowingly made a false complaint, because the officers could not see her face.
不过她的定罪后来经过上诉被推翻，因为法官认定原先的起诉无法证明被告是故意作出假的投诉，因为警员可能看不到她的脸。
This week lawmakers responded to the incident by passing a measure that gives police in Australia’s most populous state the ability to force people to remove face coverings, including religious garments and helmets, if they’re suspected of committing a crime.
议员在这星期通过了一项措施以回应这起事件。这个措施使这个澳洲人口最多的州的警察在他们怀疑有犯罪情况时，可以命令当事人脱下包括宗教服装和头罩等会盖住脸的东西。
The New South Wales Chief Minister Barry O'Farrell says the changes will help the police do their job properly.
新南威尔斯州首席部长奥法雷尔说，这个改变将帮助警察正确执行公务。
“What we're determined to do is give police the powers they need to establish identity in those instances where they need to do so,” he said.
奥法雷尔说：“我们决心要做的是在必要时给警察权力处理那些他们要进行身份辨识的案子。”While civil liberty groups worry that the police are being given powers they don’t need, many Islamic organizations in Australia support the changes as long as officers treat Muslim women with sensitivity.
公民自由团体担心，警察被授予太多他们不需要的权力，而澳大利亚许多伊斯兰组织认为，只要警员小心对待伊斯兰妇女，他们支持这项改变。
Jamila Hussain, who teaches a course in Sharia law at the University of Technology in Sydney, says the new laws should not offend the Muslim community.
贾米拉.候赛因在悉尼科技大学教伊斯兰教法。她说，新法应该不会冒犯穆斯林社群。
“If you live outside an Islamic country, then you have to obey the law of the land. And if the law of the land says that you need to remove your face veil for identification, then you should do so. And you really have no excuse for not doing so,” said Hussain.
她说：“如果你生活在伊斯兰国家以外的地方，你就必须遵守当地法律。如果当地法律说你必须脱掉面纱来辨识身份，那你就应该要这样做。你真的没有借口不这样做。”
In New South Wales, anyone who refuses to remove their face covering will face fines of up to $6,000 or a year in prison.
在新南威尔斯州，任何人如果拒绝摘下遮住脸的面纱，将会面临最高6000元的罚款或一年监禁。
The Western Australian state government is considering introducing similar legislation.
西澳大利亚州政府目前也在考虑提议通过类似的法律。