Woman demands to wear veil for driving licence pic

A Muslim woman has gone to a Florida appeal court in a bid to be allowed to wear her veil for her driving licence photo.

Sultaana Freeman lost her civil lawsuit a year ago when a judge agreed with authorities that letting people conceal their faces on a driving licence is a terrorist risk.

Appeal court Judge Richard Orfinger, sitting in Daytona Beach, said: “I think the real question for me is, "Does the state have the authority to require one to reveal one’s facial features despite a legitimately and sincerely held religious belief?”" he said.

But he also asked the other side of the question: “How does the requirement of a photograph cause a substantial burden on her exercise of religion?”

The court may take months to issue an opinion.