- Join the France 24 community here
- Log in
Latest update: 22/09/2011
French court issues first fines for defying 'burqa ban'
Five months after France's "burqa ban" came into effect, a police court Thursday issued its first fines against two women for wearing the niqab, a veil covering the entire face. The pair vowed to appeal to the European Commission of Human Rights.
AFP - A French police court on Thursday issued its first fines against two women charged with wearing the full-face covering Islamic niqab.
Police have issued several on-the-spot fines since the ban came into effect in April but these are the first court-issued fines, with the women vowing to appeal their case all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.
Hind Ahmas, 32, was ordered to pay a 120-euro fine, while Najate Nait Ali, 36, was fined 80 euros. The court did not order them to take a citizenship course, as had been requested by the prosecutor.
The two women arrived too late to attend the court's deliberations. One of the women had not been allowed into the court in May because she refused to take off her niqab to show her face.
Yann Gre from the Don't Touch My Constitution association that is defending the two women who were arrested in May in front of the town hall of Meaux, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Paris, said that they would appeal.
If the fines are confirmed by a higher court, they will take their case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, he said.
"This law forbids women in niqab from leaving their homes and going out in public. It's a kind of life-sentence to prison," he said.
The women were arrested in May when they brought a birthday cake for mayor and MP Jean-Francois Cope, also head of President Nicolas Sarkozy's right-wing UMP party that pushed Europe's first anti-burqa law through parliament.
Cope was instrumental in getting the ban's scope expanded from official building to anywhere on the street, according to Don't Touch My Constitution.
Several other niqab-wearing women turned out in solidarity for the sentencing, including Kenza Drider from the southern city of Avignon, who declared herself candidate in next year's presidential election.
It is however doubtful that she will be able to get the 500 signatures from elected officials required to stand.
The divisive law came into effect at an already fraught moment in relations between the state and France's Muslim minority, with Sarkozy accused of stigmatising Islam to win back votes from a resurgent far right.
French officials estimate that only around 2,000 women, from a total Muslim population estimated at between four and six million, wear the full-face veils that are traditional in parts of the Arab world and South Asia.
Many Muslims and rights activists say the right-wing president is targeting one of France's most vulnerable groups to signal to anti-immigration voters that he shares their fear that Islam is a threat to French culture.
Related Content
Latest news reports on FRANCE, French politics and culture
Browse all editions
PARTNERSHIPS
Comments (6)
French should uphold thier law
The viel is a threat to French culture, not who's wearing them!
Cultural Reality vs. Personal Preference
I have always found it puzzling as an Afro-American that anyone would want to permanently live in a country that is not compatible to their culture or religion — especially if they are truly invested in their own culture or religion. Expecting France to dilute its culture to accomodate one that refuses to adopt or adapt to French social standards is simply immigrant arrogance.
Females choosing the wear the Islamic niqab should not twist their personal religious preference into a piggyback cause for women's rights. That would only be a further insult to common sense, and the truly substantive struggles for genuine civil rights and liberties. It is a personal religious choice, and nothing more. This effort is especially ludicrous when there are many more Islamic-oriented nations around the world where Muslim immigrants or converts can live with much greater religious and personal compatibility, as well as socioeconomic success.
With centuries of standards and traditions rooted in specific social and democratic traditions being essentially different in France and most of Europe, including other Christian cultures, why should their be an expectation that the people and government of France or any adopted European nation must change their culture to accomodate someone that doesn't want to be culturally or socially a part of the adopted country?
Would Saudi Arabia or another Arab or Muslim country change their cultural standards and religious traditions for the benefit of large numbers of non-Muslim Europeans, Americans or Asians if they permanently immigrated to those nations? Absolutely and definitely not — as it is their cultural right to do so! History has proven this many times — well before and after the colonization, including the de-colonization era and presently.
More than that, personally, I would not have the expectation or mentality of coming to live in France to experience or enjoy an Arab, Asian, African, or American way of life. What would be the point or cultural benefit in doing that when it is the French culture drawing me to France in the first place?
When France speaks of "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" as its national standard and the moral compass of its citizens, it is abundantly clear even to this Afro-American that this applies only when you are culturally and socially invested in the French way of life, civilization, culture, history, language, traditions, and national goals. Very logical and reasonable, as it should be for any nation, and I'm okay with that and feel "compatible" with this social investment.
Hopefully, France will not compromise or dilute centuries of rich culture and social assets for the expedient or short-term benefit of those who choose not to be culturally and socially invested in France and French society — just like in every other nation in the Middle East and elsewhere.
French court issues first fines for defying 'burqa ban'
I am Indian, I don’t see any difference between Saudi Arabia and France because both have curb human liberty in name of religion, one is forcing to wear veil and other is forcing not wear the veil . In both case women are loser.
In modern world, still we are biased toward women where one is ultra-orthodox religion state and other is ultra-modern democratic state, both had decided what women would wear and not wear. It is shame that State had decided what women have to wear. In fact I would like to call France, Saudi Arabia of Europe
its really stupped
we are working in arabic world and no one ask as to put hijab or jilbaba why so we do ask the arabic in the west to be like as ??? how is the arabic start ask every women in they country to weare the niqab or you she $ .....!! today i see the muslims are less extrimest then us
If they want to wear
If they want to wear something over their heads, I would suggest a plastic bag. A black one of course.
burka ban
If they want to hide they faces do it at home,or migrate to a country that does not mind .If they want to enjoy the benefits of living in a civilised christain country ,then abide by its laws.or as I have said Migrate .
Post new comment