First Muslim fined €150 for breaking burqa ban

Published on Tuesday 12 April 2011 15:50

The first "burqa fine" has been handed out to a woman in France who defied its new ban on wearing the veil.

The 28-year-old Muslim was arrested for wearing a facial veil in the Paris suburb of Mureaux and handed a €150 (133) on-the-spot fine. However, she was allowed to continue wearing the veil to return home.

If she does not pay the fine within a month, she will be ordered to attend citizenship classes. If she refuses to comply, she could face jail.

The new law came into force on Monday.

Another woman was also stopped yesterday for wearing a veil in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. The 35-year-old was brought to the police station and reminded of the law, police said.

While these were the first publicly reported incidents, it was unclear how many women have been warned. The French government claims only about 2,000 women in France wear such veils, and only a few have said they would defy the ban.

Moderate Muslim leaders in France and elsewhere agree that Islam does not require women to cover their faces, but many are uncomfortable with banning the veil. The ban has also drawn criticism from other countries.

In Tehran, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the ban was a "wrong method and it will not bear a good result."

"Any kind of bar on observance of the veil means a lack of freedom and rights of Muslim women," he said.

Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood chief Hammam Saeed said the ban was "totally contradictory to the human rights principles claimed in France".

Mr Saeed said he considered the burqa ban to be "a new crusader behaviour targeting Muslims everywhere".