Paris: The French senate has overwhelmingly given the green light to a new law banning face veils in public places. They voted 246 to 1 in favour of the bill, already passed in the lower chamber.
The proposer of the law - Senator Francios-Noel Buffet - says it is the right move.
The subject is a controversial one.
Muslim leaders have voiced concern that the law will stigmatise the French Muslim population, which at an estimated 5 million is the largest in western Europe.
31-year-old French woman Kenza Drider - defiantly wearing the niqab - says the law won't stop her from wearing it. (Read: She's fighting France's attempt to ban the veil)
Kenza - who was born in France to Moroccan immigrant parents - is one of less than two thousand who chose to wear a niqab that covers everything except the eyes.
She says if she is arrested she will take her case to the European court of human rights.
The penalty for women who break the new law is a fine of 150 euros while husbands who are found guilty of forcing their wives to wear the veil face a 30-thousand euro fine and a one-year jail term.
The proposer of the law - Senator Francios-Noel Buffet - says it is the right move.
The subject is a controversial one.
31-year-old French woman Kenza Drider - defiantly wearing the niqab - says the law won't stop her from wearing it. (Read: She's fighting France's attempt to ban the veil)
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She says if she is arrested she will take her case to the European court of human rights.
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