News Agencies – September 22, 2011
A French court has imposed fines on two women for wearing the full Islamic face-covering veil, for the first time since a law was passed making it illegal to wear it in public. 32-year-old Hind Ahmas and Najate Naït Ali, who is 36, were ordered to pay fines of 120 euros and 80 euros respectively. The two women were not able to enter court to hear the judge’s pronouncement. At the hearing in May, one of them turned up outside the court, but was not allowed to enter because she refused to remove her full veil and reveal her face.
Yann Gré, who is the lawyer for the two women, declared that they will appeal against the ruling and are ready to take the case before the European Court of Human Rights.
Several women wearing the niqab turned up outside the courthouse to support the women.
