After an intense debate which has been going on for months, President Sarkozy and Prime Minister Fillon have vowed to pass legislation banning the nigab - the veil which covers the face as well as the body - in all public places. Belgium has already done so and other European countries might follow. French public opinion is in favour of the ban, even if police forces admit it might be difficult to enforce.

For over thirty years, Abbas has been photographing the nigab in Muslim as well as non-Muslim countries, sometimes with pathos and other times in a humorous vein.