Face-veil ban under vote in France
The French senate is to vote on a bill that would ban niqab or face-covering veils in public, a proposal that has sparked fierce debate in a country that is home to Western Europe's largest Muslim population.
Senators are expected to comfortably approve the bill, after it was passed in the lower house by 335 votes to one in July.
Critics of the proposed law hope that it will eventually be overturned by the constitutional council, France's highest legal body.
If implemented, women caught wearing the niqab in public places including streets, markets, government buildings, private businesses and public transport would be fined $190.
Men who force their wives or daughters to cover for religious reasons would face tougher penalties of up to $38,685 and a one-year jail term.
Comments