Portugal bans full-face veils in public

Portugal's president has enacted a law banning face concealment in public, a measure widely seen as targeting Muslim women who wear a full-face veil.

President Antonio Jose Seguro said late Tuesday that the face should be considered central to human identity and communication.

Parliament adopted the final text in July with votes from the right-wing governing coalition and the far right, while left-wing parties voted against it. Local media have described the measure as the “burqa law”.

The law prohibits garments designed to conceal the face or prevent identification in public spaces. It also bans coercing someone to cover their face for reasons linked to gender, religion, age or origin.

Violators face fines from 150 to 3,000 euros. Exemptions apply for health, professional, artistic or weather-related needs, and inside places of worship, diplomatic missions and airplanes.

Rights campaigners have long argued that bans of this kind can erode women's rights by telling them what to wear. Seguro acknowledged that the issue was one of “great social and cultural sensitivity”.