France imposes first niqab fines

Two French Muslim women who continue to wear the full-face veil in defiance of a new law banning it in France were issued fines by a court in France on the 22 September 2011

Hind Ahmas and Najate Nait Ali were caught wearing the niqab in public outside Meaux town hall, eastern Paris, soon after the law came in in May 2011.

The women say they will appeal against their punishment all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Police arrest veiled women at 'burqa ban' protest http://www.europeansources.info/record/police-arrest-veiled-women-at-burqa-ban-protest/

France24, 22.9.11: French court issues first fines for defying 'burqa ban' http://www.france24.com/en/20110922-france-court-issues-first-fines-two-women-wearing-niqab-defying-burqa-ban

Spiegel Online International, 22.9.11: Two Women Fined for Covering Faces http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,787879,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 22.9.11: Women in France fined for wearing face veils http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15408657,00.html

The Local.fr, 22.9.11: French court issues first Muslim veil fines http://www.thelocal.fr/1255/20110922/

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