It’s taken the step for security and identification purposes.

ends intro

By banning the full-face veil Algeria falls into line with Denmark, France, Belgium and Latvia preventing women wearing a niqab or burqa in public.

The official Algerian notice says female public servants may not wear any clothes preventing them from carrying out their public duties.

Critics are asking how this applies to the niqab.

Earlier, authorities banned female students from wearing headscarves during examinations or tests saying it increased the possibility of cheating.

Moderate and radical Muslims have often clashed in Algeria.

In 1992 a military coup cancelled elections that Islamists were poised to win.

The post Algerian women public servants banned from wearing full-face veils appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.