France: European Rights Court Upholds French Ban on Veils
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Version 0 of 1. The European Court of Human Rights has upheld a French ban on wearing face-covering veils in public, rejecting arguments that the measure violates religious freedoms and bolstering opponents of strict Islamic dress in other parts of Europe. The ban, which took effect three years ago, set French authorities on a collision course with conservative Muslims who said the wearing of such veils by women was an obligation of their faith. Judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, said Tuesday that the ban was a legitimate attempt to preserve the norms of France’s diverse society and that it did not infringe on Europe’s Convention on Human Rights. The court was ruling on a case brought by an unidentified Frenchwoman who said the law was discriminatory and violated her freedom of conscience. The 24-year-old woman, a college graduate, requested anonymity for fear of reprisals if her identity became known. France was the first country in Europe to enact such a ban, followed by Belgium. |