Denmark — Amnesty International criticized a new law on Wednesday banning the wearing of face coverings in public in Denmark.

“All women should be free to dress as they please and to wear clothing that expresses their identity or beliefs. This ban will have a particularly negative impact on Muslim women who choose to wear the niqab or burqa,” said Amnesty’s Deputy Europe Director Fotis Filippou.

“Whilst some specific restrictions on the wearing of full face veils for the purposes of public safety may be legitimate, this blanket ban is neither necessary nor proportionate and violates women’s rights to freedom of expression and religion, Filippou said.

“If the intention of this law was to protect women’s rights it fails abjectly. Instead, the law criminalizes women for their choice of clothing — making a mockery of the freedoms Denmark purports to uphold.”

The new Danish ban on covering the face in public places includes the niqab and burka as well as false beards, masks and other ways of obscuring the face in public.

Key arguments from proponents of the new law centered on an alleged need to ensure that no Muslim women or girls are being forced to wear full-faced clothing, maintaining that this ban would help ensure better integration of asylum-seekers and migrants into Danish society.

Danish supporters and opponents of the ban clashed verbally Wednesday as the law took effect.

Danish lawmakers approved the law in May, which was presented by the center-right governing coalition that is known for tightening asylum and immigration rules in recent years.

The law allows people to cover their face when there is a “recognizable purpose” like cold weather or complying with other legal requirements, such as using motorcycle helmets required under Danish traffic rules.

First-time offenders risk a fine of $157. Repeat offenses could trigger fines of up to $1567 or a jail sentence of up to six months.

The Danish ban follows similar recent bans on full face veils in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Austria and parts of Switzerland. — Agencies