burqas
burqasReuters

The Danish government on Tuesday proposed a ban on Islamic full-face veils such as the niqab and burqa in public spaces, AFP reported.

"It is incompatible with the values ​​in Danish society and disrespectful to the community to keep one's face hidden when meeting each other in public spaces," Justice Minister Soren Pape Poulsen said in a statement quoted by the news agency.

"With a ban on covering the face, we are drawing a line in the sand and underlining that in Denmark we show each other trust and respect by meeting face to face," he added.

The niqab is a full veil with a small slit for the eyes, while the burqa is a full veil that covers the head and body with a mesh screen over the eyes.

The proposal will be assessed by non-governmental human rights organizations and possibly re-written to take their remarks into consideration.

The Danish government is expected to present a bill to parliament in the spring.

A violation of the ban would lead to a fine of 1,000 kroner ($166, 134 euros). Repeated violations would be fined up to 10,000 kroner.