Portugal has enacted a law banning face coverings in public spaces, a measure that has been widely criticised as targeting Muslim women who wear full-face veils.
President António José Seguro signed the legislation into law, following its approval by parliament in July.
The law prohibits clothing or other items designed to conceal a person’s face or prevent identification in public spaces. It also makes it an offence to force another person to cover their face on grounds related to gender, religion, age or origin.
Defending the measure, Seguro said the face plays an important role in human interaction.
“The face must be considered a central element of human identity and communication,” Seguro said in a statement late Tuesday.
