Police repression in France

Reply to Written question | Doc. 13242 | 24 June 2013

Author(s):

Committee of Ministers

Origin

Adopted at the 1174th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (19 June 2013). 2013 - Third part-session

Reply to Written question

: Written question no. 636 (Doc. 13203)

1. When examining the question put by the Honourable Parliamentarian, the Committee of Ministers was informed by the French delegation that, as part of their task of protecting law and order, and with due regard for the rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and the right to demonstrate enshrined in French legislation, the French security forces had established the routes and the practical arrangements with the organisers of the demonstration of 24 March 2013 before the event. According to the French delegation, a few hundred extremists were responsible for matters getting out of hand. As these individuals had called on participants not to follow the agreed route, the security forces had intervened to stop them. Under the legislation, according to which all persons are entitled to submit a complaint if they consider themselves to have been the victims of police violence and to bring proceedings in court, ten or so complaints were lodged after the events of 24 May. They are currently being examined by the Paris public prosecutor’s office.

2. With regard to the case involving FEMEN referred to by the Honourable Parliamentarian, the French delegation has informed the Committee of Ministers that following the events of 12 February 2013 after the Pope’s resignation, in which members of FEMEN made their way into and undressed in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a complaint has been filed and court proceedings are under way.

3. The Committee of Ministers points out that, at all events, everyone within the jurisdiction of a Contracting Party to the European Convention on Human Rights may lodge an individual application with the European Court of Human Rights in accordance with Articles 34 and 35 of the Convention, particularly once all domestic remedies have been exhausted.