Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights office says local bans in France on burkini swimwear amount to "a grave and illegal breach of fundamental freedoms" and a "stupid reaction" to recent extremist attacks.
OHCHR spokesman Rupert Colville says the rights agency wants local officials to "immediately" lift the bans, saying they don't increase security.
A French high court has struck down on French town's ban on the burkini, effectively invalidating such bans in about 30 towns, though many remain.
Colville says such bans "fuel religious intolerance and the stigmatization of Muslims," and "have only succeeded in increasing tensions."
He said people who wear burkinis — body-covering beachwear worn by some Muslim women — or any another clothing "cannot be blamed for the violent or hostile reactions of others."
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
