Niqab-wearing women detained in Paris

Two niqab (veil) wearing Muslim women were detained by the police in France capital city Paris as a ban on the full veil or burqa came into effect.

The women were detained in front of Notre Dame cathedral here while they were taking part in a demonstration, reports said on Tuesday.

The women were reportedly detained for participation in an unauthorized procession rather than for the burqa.

A police spokesperson insisted that the detention was due to the unlawful demonstration rather that the veil.

However, law enforcing agencies now have toe right to slap fines on women covering their faces with veils.

Any woman found wearing niqab in public can be fined ?136 and be forced to attend special citizenship classes.

Anyone forcing a woman to wear a burqa or niqab could face a year in jail and a ?26,500 fine.

Kenza Drider, who was among the women detained, expressed anger that the police?s act.

?It’s not an act of provocation. I am only carrying out my citizens’ rights, I am not committing a crime… If they ask me for identity papers I’ll show them,? she said.

She reportedly lifted her veil before women officers at the police station for identification purposes.

France had become the world?s first country to ban veils in public, stating it imprisoned women and contradicted national values of dignity and equality.