French driver fined for wearing niqab

A 31-year-old French woman was fined for wearing a niqab while driving, in a further sign of France's bid to clamp down on the face-covering veil which President Nicolas Sarkozy says demeans women.

The unnamed woman told LCI television on Friday that police stopped her last month while she was driving in the city of Nantes, near the French Atlantic coast.

She was wearing a black niqab, that covers the face but leaves the eyes exposed. Police handed her a 22-euro ($29) fine, saying her clothing posed a "safety risk" to her driving.

"My eyes were not covered. I can see just like you and my field of vision was not obstructed," said the woman, who did not give her name. She said she would appeal against the decision.

Sarkozy's plan to ban face-covering Islamic veils, such as the Afghan burqa or the niqab, have sparked fierce debate among politicians and France's Muslim community.

Polls have shown while most French voters back a ban, legal experts have warned it could violate the country's constitution. France's highest court has warned the government that a complete ban could be unlawful.

My eyes were not covered. I can see just like you and my field of vision was not obstructed

French Muslim woman