France denies citizenship over veil

PARIS, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- French officials have denied citizenship to a man because he allegedly forces his wife to wear a full Islamic veil, the immigration minister said Wednesday.

"This individual imposes the full veil upon his wife, does not allow her the freedom to go and come as she pleases, and bans her from going out with her face unveiled, and rejects the principles of secularism and equality between man and woman," Immigration Minister Eric Besson said he told Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy.

Tuesday's decision came a week after partial ban on veils covering the face -- including those from a burqa -- was issued by a French parliamentary commission. If voted into law, the ban would apply in public areas such as schools, hospitals and on public transportation, CNN reported.

Six months ago, Sarkozy told lawmakers France did not "welcome" the Muslim burqa, citing the issue of women's freedom and dignity, not religion.

A 2004 French law banned Muslim girls from wearing headscarves in state schools. It also banned other religious symbols such as large Christian crucifixes, Jewish yarmulkes and Sikh turbans.