Top French Court Upholds Ban on Muslim Abayas in Schools
The State Council, France's highest court for complaints against government authorities, said it had rejected a motion by an association for an injunction against the ban decreed by the government last month, saying it was not discriminatory towards Muslims.
Emmanuel Macron's government announced last month it was banning the abaya in schools, claiming it broke the rules on secularism in education that have already seen Muslim headscarves banned on the grounds that they constitute a display of religious affiliation.
But an association representing Muslims filed a motion with the State Council, France's highest court for complaints against state authorities, for an injunction against the ban on the abaya.
The association argued the ban was discriminatory and could incite hatred against Muslims, as well as racial profiling.
The State Council has been examining the motion, filed by the Action for the Rights of Muslims (ADM), since Tuesday, and ruled in favor of maintaining the ban on Thursday.
France's Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), established to represent Muslims before the government, warned that banning the abaya could create "an elevated risk of discrimination" and said it was considering putting its own complaint before the State Council.
Source: Agencies
