
The Danish government on Tuesday proposed a ban on Islamic full-face veils such as the niqab and burqa in public spaces, AFP reported.
"It is incompatible with the values in Danish society and disrespectful to the community to keep one's face hidden when meeting each other in public spaces," Justice Minister Soren Pape Poulsen said in a statement quoted by the news agency.
"With a ban on covering the face, we are drawing a line in the sand and underlining that in Denmark we show each other trust and respect by meeting face to face," he added.
The niqab is a full veil with a small slit for the eyes, while the burqa is a full veil that covers the head and body with a mesh screen over the eyes.
The proposal will be assessed by non-governmental human rights organizations and possibly re-written to take their remarks into consideration.
The Danish government is expected to present a bill to parliament in the spring.
A violation of the ban would lead to a fine of 1,000 kroner ($166, 134 euros). Repeated violations would be fined up to 10,000 kroner.