An Algerian Muslim Woman Was Denied Citizenship After Her Refusal To Shake Hands With Male In France

A French appealant court upheld a ruling denying her French citizenship. The ruling stated that the woman did not fully conform to the norms of French community, hence her citizenship was denied. She had also appealed the decision in France's highest administrative court, which upheld the government's earleir decision. The Algerian woman has been married to a French man since 2010. Citing Islamic teaching, the woman had refused to shake hands with a male official during a citizenship ceremony in 2016. She termed the ruling against her an " abuse of power". Previously in 2016, A Swiss regional authority ruled that the two Muslim pupils at a Swiss school had to shake hands with their female teacher, or face fine.