French court annuls fine for driver in Muslim veil

Traffic police in the western city of Nantes fined 31-year-old Sandrine Mouleres euro22 ($29.22) in April, saying she did not have a clear field of vision, but the court quashed the fine Monday.

Jean-Michel Pollono, Mouleres' attorney, said the court in Nantes had ruled that "we are in a free country, and as a result, everything that isn't forbidden is allowed."

The court decided that the veil "moves with the head and does not hinder visibility," and therefore does not go against the driving code cited by police, the lawyer added.

French authorities have long wrestled with Muslim practices that they contend do not conform with the country's values, in particular its secular tradition. France is home to the largest population of Muslims in western Europe, with an estimated 5 million.

The case of Mouleres, who was not present in court, drew media attention because it came amid a heated debate in France over whether veils that cover the face should be banned, but also because Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux accused her companion of polygamy and defrauding the social system by obtaining aid for up to 15 children living under separate roofs.

The husband, Algerian-born Lies Hebbadj, a French citizen, has since been charged with aggravated rape based on complaints from one of his former companions.

In September, the French parliament approved a law banning face-covering Islamic veils in public places including streets. It will go into effect in the spring.

Many Muslims see the legislation as another blow to Islam - France's No. 2 religion - and fear it could raise levels of Islamophobia in a country where mosques are sporadic targets of hate-fueled attacks.

Proponents of the new law, however, have said it will preserve French values, including secular foundations and women's rights.