French cabinet supports veil ban
Women in France could be fined and imprisoned for wearing a face veil in public.
France has taken another step towards banning face veils in public.
The French cabinet approved a bill of the proposed law on Wednesday which will go before parliament in July.
If ratified, women who cover their faces in public could face up to one year in prison along with stiff pentalties that could also be applied on men who force their wives or daughters to cover up.
In remarks released by his office after the bill was approved, Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France, said: “Citizenship should be experienced with an uncovered face.”
With an estimated six million French Muslims, Islam is the second largest religion in France. Al Jazeera’s Estelle Youssouffa reports from Paris where many in the community feel alienated by the ban.