French Court Halts Burkini Ban on Mediterranean Beach
(MENAFN) A court in France has halted the enforcement of a local directive that prohibited the wearing of burkinis—full-body swimsuits—on public beaches in a coastal town near Cannes.
According to local media outlets, the court's decision on Friday declared that the ban contravened essential personal freedoms.
This judgment was delivered by the administrative tribunal in Nice, following a legal challenge brought forward by the Human Rights League.
The organization contended that the municipal order unlawfully discriminated against Muslim women and curtailed core civil rights.
The ordinance had explicitly categorized the burkini—a type of swimwear that covers most of the body in accordance with Islamic principles of modesty—as being unacceptable under its guidelines.
The mayor of Mandelieu-la-Napoule, a seaside town on France's southern coast, enacted the ban on July 15.
The regulation prohibited access to the beaches for anyone donning attire that “ostentatiously demonstrates the practice of worship and is likely to cause public disorder,” with the burkini being particularly identified.
Officials had argued that the measure was needed due to issues related to “interreligious cohabitation” and disturbances observed during the 2024 summer season.
However, the court found no concrete evidence supporting these claims.
The presiding judge stated that the ban “seriously and illegally infringes on the freedom to come and go, freedom of conscience, and personal liberty,” as reported by a news outlet.
In a public response, the Human Rights League condemned the ban as “targeted and intentional,” asserting that it was an effort to marginalize Muslim women who choose to wear the burkini out of religious belief and a desire for modesty.
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