European court upholds Belgian ban on full-face veils

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS (AA)- The legality of a Belgian ban on full-face Islamic veils was upheld on Tuesday by the European Court of Human Rights.

Three applicants -- two Belgian citizens and a Moroccan resident of Belgium -- had complained in two separate cases that the law violated their religious freedom and individual human rights.

According to the top European court ruling, the controversial 2011 law, which bans clothing that fully or partially covers the face, is legally grounded and does not violate the right to respect for private and family life or freedom of religion, nor does it disproportionately discriminate against the Muslim community.

The court argued that the restriction seeks to guarantee social cohesion and the "protection of the rights and freedoms of others” and is "necessary in a democratic society."

France was the first European country to place a total public ban on full-face veils in April 2011, followed by Belgium that July.