Excerpt:
Spain's Supreme Court has overturned the city of Lleida's ban on Muslim women wearing full-face veils - such as burqas or niqabs - in public buildings, citing religious freedom and saying the city's argument of security concerns was unfounded.
In its ruling, dated Feb. 14 and made public on Thursday, the court said the ban could increase discrimination, rather than help eliminate it, as it may force some women to stay at home and therefore not integrate at all into Spanish society.
The city, known as Lleida in the Catalan language and Lerida in Spanish, had said that immigrants would struggle to integrate if they used the veil. The city also said the custom would disturb the local culture and create security problems.