French may soon have similar law
(NEWSER) - Belgium is expected today to become the first nation to ban face-covering Muslim veils in public. Supporters of the bill say they're motivated by concerns about security as well as taking action to protect women's rights. "We think all people in public must show their face," Belgium lawmaker Denis Ducarme tells CNN . In addition, "we must defend our values" concerning "the freedom and dignity of the woman." The law isn't a sign of religious intolerance, he added, because Islam does not require that women hide their faces, though one Muslim leader said the bill smacked of "colonialism." More»