Portugal Bans Face Coverings in Public as Muslim Community Raises Alarm

(Face Covering. Photo by The Telegraph)

Portugal has passed a new law banning people from covering their faces in public places.

The measure has drawn sharp criticism as many believe it targets Muslim women who wear full-face veils.

President António José Seguro signed the legislation into law after parliament approved it in July.

The law prohibits any clothing or items designed to hide a person's face or prevent identification in public spaces.

It also makes it illegal to force someone to cover their face based on gender, religion, age or origin.

The president defended the law by saying the face is central to human communication and identity.

However, there are some exceptions for health reasons, work, artistic purposes, and weather.

The law also does not apply inside places of worship, embassies, or airplanes.

Those caught violating the law can face fines ranging from 150 to 3,000 euros.

The right-wing government and far-right parties supported the measure, but left-wing parties strongly opposed it.

Opposition groups warned that the law could increase discrimination against Muslim communities and fuel hatred toward minority groups.

They said the legislation has nothing to do with security or women's rights and is instead designed to stoke fear and hostility.

Portugal is not alone in this approach.

Several European countries have introduced similar restrictions on face coverings, though the rules and exemptions vary between them.