France Tightens Religious Clothing Ban: Islamic Abayas Banned in Schools

Ahead of the upcoming return of students to their classrooms, France’s education minister announced that the country will ban pupils from wearing the abaya, a loose-fitting, full-length robe worn by some Muslim women, in state schools.

Move comes after months of debate over wearing of abayas in French schools, where women have long been banned from wearing hijab. https://t.co/zeLsyFvl9y

The Hijab Ban That's Shaking French Soccer

France's highest administrative court ruled on June 29th that the country’s soccer federation has the right to ban players from wearing headscarves during matches, even if the action means limiting their freedom of expression.

France’s highest administrative jurisdiction says the country's soccer federation is entitled to ban headscarves in matches. https://t.co/YwoqABk0DL

Clergy Sexual Abuse: French Catholic Church's New Digital ID Strategy

In a bid to tackle sexual abuse that has rattled the institution for years, the Catholic Church in France issued new digital ID cards with scannable QR codes to members of the clergy to help identify priests who face charges of sexual abuse.

French Catholic priests will now wear QR codes which will indicate whether one is a sex offender or not. https://t.co/OBQllyfNdZ

14 Accused of Terrorism in Trial Over French Teacher's Beheading

More than two years after an Islamic extremist murdered and beheaded a French secondary school teacher in October 2020, French prosecutors sought to convict 14 suspects related to the crime. This incident shocked France and the world.

French prosecutors on Friday requested that 14 people stand trial in connection with the terrorist attack on schoolteacher Samuel Paty https://t.co/Z7dShD5Vpx

Free Speech Threatened? Woman Who Insulted French President Faces Trial

A French woman from Saint-Omer in northern France was charged for allegedly insulting French President Emmanuel Macron on social media, describing him as a “piece of filth.”

French woman faces trial, €12,000 fine for 'insulting' Macron on Facebook https://t.co/JQ7Pg9zqYe

— Raheem. (@RaheemKassam) April 3, 2023

France to deport Moroccan Imam over anti-Semitic speech

On August 26, a French court decided to deport an imam to Morocco.

Hassan Iquioussen, who was born in France but held Moroccan citizenship, is accused of anti-Semitic hate speech.

Harassment of French Teen for Her Anti-Islam Video Leads to 6 Convictions

On May 24, 2022, another update in the many legal battles involving the French teenager known as Mila versus the many people who threatened her online because of videos she made speaking against Islam.

Debate Over "Burkini" Proposal Sparks Controversy in French City

After a two-and-a-half-hour debate, a French city has allowed the wearing of "burkinis," followed by a divisive vote.

Grenoble, a city in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France, has approved the controversial swim attire, with a slim margin of 29 versus 27, with two abstentions.

French Court Rejects Government Order to Forcibly Close Mosque

On April 26, France's highest administrative court rejected the Interior Ministry's appeal to continue closing down a mosque. The Conseil d'Etat, on Tuesday, dismissed an appeal that will challenge the previous suspension of a closure order.

The Interior Ministry has been shutting down mosques all over France, citing radicalization concerns.

France Bans Two Palestine Solidarity Groups

France has announced a plan to ban two Palestinian advocacy groups based in the country. Gerald Darmanin, France’s Minister of the Interior, on February 24 tweeted that he would disband Collectif Palestine Vaincra (Palestine Will Win) and Comité Palestine Action (Palestine Action Committee).