France’s niqab ban on women wearing the Islamic veil is a violation of human rights, the United Nations rules
The committee's chair Yuval Shany said the findings were not an endorsement of the veil and that he and several others considered it a form of oppression
THE UN today said that France's ban on the niqab - the face-concealing Islamic veil – is a violation of human rights.
France had failed to make the case for its ban, the committee said, and gave it 180 days to report back to say what actions it had taken.
It said: "In particular, the Committee was not persuaded by France's claim that a ban on face covering was necessary and proportionate from a security standpoint or for attaining the goal of 'living together' in society."
Decisions taken by the committee, a panel of independent experts who oversee compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), are not legally binding.
But under an optional protocol of the treaty, France has an international legal obligation to comply "in good faith".
The committee's findings come after complaints by two French women convicted in 2012 under a 2010 law stipulating that "No one may, in a public space, wear any article of clothing intended to conceal the face."
What is the difference between a burka and a niqab?
- A burka is the most concealing of all Islamic veils, and often only leaves a mesh screen to see through.
- The niqab is a face-veil that leaves the area around the eyes clear.
- It is worn with an accompanying headscarf and may be worn with a separate eye veil.
- There are several types of Islamic headscarves that do not cover the face including the hijab.
- Veils are usually worn along with an abaya - a form of long dress which conceals most of the body.
The Committee said the ban disproportionately harmed their right to practice their religious beliefs and could lead to them being confined at home and marginalised.
It also ordered France to pay compensation to the two women.
The committee's chair Yuval Shany said the findings were not an endorsement of the full-body veil and that he and several others on the 18-member panel considered it a form of oppression.
Prime Minister Theresa May ruled out a burka ban in the UK in 2017 when questioned during a PMQs session, saying the move would be "divisive".
France, along with many other European countries, have shown a less open approach.
In 2004 the French parliament banned all religious symbols from state schools, including the face veil.
A 2010 law forbade faces from being covered in public, including by face veils and balaclavas.
Issues around face veils have proved a central test for candidates vying for the French Presidency.
The main contenders in the previous election, Marine Le Pen of the far right National Front and Francois Villon of the centre-right Republicans, pledged tougher enforcement of facial veil bans.
In the summer French coastal towns banned women from wearing the Islam-compliant 'burkinis' on public beaches.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.