Epress.am News from Armenia
A law has come into force in France which makes it an offence for a woman to conceal her face behind a veil when in public, BBC reports.
The ban pertains to the burqa, a full-body covering that includes a mesh over the face, and the niqab, a full-face veil that leaves an opening only for the eyes, CNN reports.
The hijab, which covers the hair and neck but not the face, and the chador, which covers the body but not the face, apparently are not banned by the law.
“The ban does not target the wearing of a headscarf, head-gear, scarf or glasses, as long as the accessories do not prevent the person from being identified,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
Anyone caught breaking the law will be liable to a fine of 150 euros ( about $217 US) and a citizenship course.
People forcing women to wear the veil face a much larger fine and prison sentences: Forcing a woman to wear a niqab or a burqa is punishable by a year in prison and a 30,000 euro fine (about $43,400). Forcing a minor to do the same thing is punishable by two years in prison and a fine of 60,000 euros.
France is the first country in Europe to publicly ban a form of dress some Muslims regard as a religious duty.
Under the law, any woman — French or foreign — walking on the street or in a park in France and wearing a face-concealing veil such as the niqab or burqa can be stopped by police and given a fine.
The French government says the face-covering veil undermines the basic standards required for living in a shared society and also relegates its wearers to an inferior status incompatible with French notions of equality.