European Court of Human Rights supports France's ban on the burka. or a niqab in public, ruling that the 2010 law on religious headgear does not breach Muslim women’s human rights. The French law, which carries a fine of €150 or lessons in French citizenship for those found wearing a veil in public, was brought in under conservative ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy and is backed by the current Socialist administration of President François Hollande. Authorities say religious veils are degrading to women, an affront to France's secular traditions, and a security risk as they prevent the accurate identification of individuals.
