French Court Bans Veil
France's highest court has upheld a law banning facial veils in public, with supporters claiming it will protect women's rights while critics say it abridges religious freedom.France’s highest court has upheld a law banning facial veils in public, with supporters claiming it will protect women’s rights while critics say it abridges religious freedom.
The law is to take effect in six months, after which a woman wearing a veil would face arrest and a fine of $195. A man forcing a woman to wear a veil could be fined $42,000 and face up to a year in prison. –JCL
Your support matters…Al-Jazeera English:
France’s highest court has approved a law banning full-facial veils in public — with the exception of mosques — eliminating the last hurdle for the ban.
Those behind the law argue that it will protect women’s rights. Its critics, however, say that it stigmatises Muslim women and it is a breach of religious freedom.
The court found the law to be constitutional, bar in the case of places of worship.
“The ban on covering the face in public places cannot constrain the practice of religious freedom in places of worship that are open to the public,” the court said in its judgment, a nominal nod to religious freedoms.
Independent journalism is under threat and overshadowed by heavily funded mainstream media.
You can help level the playing field. Become a member.
Your tax-deductible contribution keeps us digging beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that unearths what's really happening- without compromise.
Give today to support our courageous, independent journalists.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.