DHAKA: The European Court of Human Rights has upheld a ban by France on wearing the Muslim full-face veil, the niqab.

A case was brought by a 24-year-old French woman, who argued that the ban on wearing the veil in public violated her freedom of religion and expression.

French law says nobody can wear in a public space clothing intended to conceal the face. The penalty for doing so can be a 150-euro fine.

The 2010 law came in under former conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy.

A breach of the ban can also mean a wearer having to undergo citizenship instruction.

France has about five million Muslims, the largest Muslim minority in Western Europe, but it is thought only about 2,000 women wear full veils.

BDST: 2023 HRS, JULY 01, 2014