Syria mandates burkinis for women at public beaches: What to know

Syria’s Tourism Ministry issued a decree this week saying that women are required to wear burkinis or other swimwear that covers the body at public beaches and swimming pools, prompting concerns about a potential rollback of women’s freedoms under the country’s new government. 

What happened: The decree, issued Monday, states that “more modest swimwear is required on public beaches and pools,” specifying that women should wear a “burkini or swimwear that covers more of the body.”