Facial coverings of any kind would be banned from German courtrooms under legislation to be introduced by the Justice Ministry of the western state of North-Rhine Westphalia.
The ban would extend to Muslim religious garments like the burqa or the niqab, but also to any garment designed to obscure a face.
State Justice Minister Peter Biesenbach said he would bring up the measure at the next meeting of state justice ministers at the Bundesrat, the upper legislative house where state governments are represented, on June 6.