French burqa ban not discriminatory, court declares

The French burqa ban does not breach human rights laws and is not discriminatory, the European Court of Human Rights has declared.

The case, which has important implications for the UK, followed a complaint by a French woman, who is a practising Muslim, that she is no longer allowed to wear the full-face veil because of a law prohibiting concealment of the face in public places in France.

The European Court's Grand Chamber declared that the law did not violate the right to respect for privacy and family.

It also said there had been no violation of the protection of respect for freedom of thought, conscience and religion.