France’s High Court Suspends Burkini Ban

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The highest administrative court in France has suspended a controversial ban on “burkinis” in a test case brought by human-rights organizations. The halt—applicable only in the southern town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice—is still pending a definitive ruling, but temporary judgments in France’s legal system are often handed down if a court elects to take more time to prepare a final ruling. The ban on the full-body swimwear for strictly observing Muslim women has received international criticism. Lawyers for human-rights groups argued the ban not only infringes on the freedom of those wearing them, they also feed fear in French communities. Officials say the suspension will likely set the precedent for other areas seeking to prohibit burkinis via mayoral decrees. The bans were popularized following multiple attacks in France, including the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice.