Court orders Muslim witness to unveil

The Auckland District Court ruled that Fouzya Salim, a witness in a fraud case, and another Muslim woman must show their faces to the judge, lawyers and female court staff but can be concealed from public view, The Age quoted Radio New Zealand as reporting. The women had been fighting since last year a defence lawyer\'s application to have their veils lifted in court so their demeanour could be assessed. The court ruled that while it could be a fair trial even if the women wore burqas, the defendant had a legitimate expectation of trial by the normal process. It said screens and other devices would be used to protect the women from public view. Full report in The Age