The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday upheld France's ban on wearing full-face veils in public, rejecting arguments that the ban undermines freedoms of religion and expression.

The decision is a victory for the governments of France and Belgium, which have passed laws prohibiting veils and other garments that conceal the entire face, and gives other European governments broader discretion to enact similar bans. The French government said the three-year ban helped to protect public safety, as well as women forced to...