The Egyptian government announced this week that niqab-wearing women will be banned from voting in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The announcement, from Egypt's Supreme Election Committee, said that the women must remove any face covering while voting.
The decision was made, according to committee spokesman Oman Marwan, for identity purposes and not because of any religious discrimination. Marwan assured the public that female officials would be present at the polls to ensure that any veiled women will not have to violate their religious beliefs in order to vote.
However, the move comes amid what is being called increasing intolerance for ultra-conservative Muslims in Egypt. The government has banned several parties known for their conservatism and declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization.
Recently, Cairo University, one of Egypt's premier universities, banned women wearing the niqab from teaching.
The ban, which is now in effect, resulted in 77 lawsuits filed against the university by niqab wearing professors.