Portugal has introduced a new law banning the wearing of face coverings designed to conceal a person’s identity in public spaces, a move widely viewed as targeting Muslim women who wear the burka or niqab.
Under the new “burka law,” anyone caught covering their face could be fined between €150 and €3,000. However, exemptions apply for medical, professional, artistic and weather-related reasons, as well as coverings worn in places of worship, diplomatic missions and on aircraft.
The law also makes it an offence to force another person to cover their face because of their gender, religion, age or origin.
