European Court ruling on full-face veils punishes women for expressing their beliefs | Amnesty International USA

2.7.14

European Court ruling on full-face veils punishes women for expressing their beliefs | Amnesty International USA: The case was brought before the Strasbourg-based court by S.A.S, a 24-year-old French woman who finds the general ban enacted in France in 2011 to be in violation of her freedom of expression and a range of other rights. Women in France face fines and/or citizenship training for violating the law.



“The court recognised that arguments based on security and gender equality were specious. But it accepted the argument that wearing full-face veils runs counter to established social norms that are necessary for ‘living together’. This reasoning should be deeply disturbing to all those who value the freedom of expression,” said John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International.