Turkey lifts Islamic headscarf ban in civil service However, the ban remains in place for judges, prosecutors, police and military personnel. Last week, Mr Erdogan, who has been under fire for what critics say are creeping efforts to Islamicise the nation, unveiled a package of democratic reforms, using the opportunity to take on the highly controversial headscarf ban in the majority Muslim but staunchly secular nation. Mr Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) has pledged to remove the ban on the wearing of headscarves in all areas since it came to power in 2002. It has already relaxed the ban at universities. Turkey's main opposition party however denounced the measure as a breach of the secular regime.