INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
against peaceful protesters on more than one occasion
use of force against members of civil society for demanding their rightful participation in decision-making processes concerning their
future, access to natural resources, the protection of human rights, dignity and equality would not only be anti-democratic, but profoundly
comprehensive review of their policing strategies and enable protesters to voice their concerns and to facilitate the peaceful protest and
participation in public affairs.They have reiterated their call on authorities to fulfil their international obligations toward peaceful
protests and to take necessary steps to investigate acts of violence during demonstrations and bring the perpetrators to justice.Since the
raise the pension retirement age.Despite the mass rallies and strikes, Macron went ahead with the move, bypassing a parliamentary vote on
the matter in the process.The experts pointed out that protesters from all age groups and different social movements, including trade
used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowds: ammunition that France is the only European country to use in public order
demonstrators, and in Sainte-Soline police are said to have fired rubber bullets from moving quad bikes, while emergency services were
reportedly prevented from intervening to rescue a seriously injured person
officials in a bid to criminalize human rights defenders
They expressed concern about a growing trend of stigmatization and criminalization of individuals and civil society organizations to justify
France that any policing strategy must respect the principles of necessity and proportionality, with the sole aim of facilitating peaceful
no sanctions against French authorities.Many have pointed out how this is in stark contrast to the riots that hit Iran last year and spells
another angle of double standards by the West.Despite footage showing armed thugs mercilessly killing Iranian police officers and security
forces in cold blood, Iran has seen a wave of Western sanctions imposed on its officials.On the other hand, the footage from France shows
security forces using excessive force against peaceful protests and no punitive measures have been taken against Paris, even after the UN
has condemned the French policing practices.UN experts had already expressed similar concerns to the French government in 2019, during the
Yellow Vest protests.The Yellow Vests Revolution was a series of popular weekly protests in France that began on 17 November 2018
At first the protestors called for economic justice; later they advocated for institutional political reforms.In February 2019, a group of
UN human rights experts published another alarming report about the right to protest in France, saying it has been disproportionately
curtailed during the Yellow Vest protests and the authorities should rethink their law enforcement policies to guarantee the exercise of
rights have also resulted in a high number of arrests and detentions, searches and confiscations of demonstrators' possessions, and serious
they said."It is very disturbing to note that despite weeks of demonstrations, the restrictions and tactics of managing rallies and the use
2019, a French investigative journal revealed that police injured hundreds of more protesters
Scores sustained leg injuries while dozens of others were wounded in the chest
Among those injured were 56 journalists and 37 high school students.According to the French government figures, 11 people were killed and
over 2,000 others were injured at the time
The French Interior Ministry said in February that security forces arrested some 8,400 people
Additionally, at least 1,796 others received prison sentences.A year after the popular weekly demonstrations began, at least 24 people lost
are known to be very violent against any peaceful rallies that have taken place and violating the protesters' human rights
This brutality has been occurring for decades.This is while Paris is very quick to lecture other countries on human rights, where deadly
Western nations who have a permanent seat in international organizations like the UN Security Council have an unfair privilege.In an ideal
world, France would have been punished by the UN Security Council for the brutality it has displayed against peaceful protesters calling for
their rights.There are some who enjoy impunity for making major criminal mistakes, while others are very quickly condemned and
sanctioned.French police have used even more violence against French Africans living in the suburbs as well as the working class, who have
become used to this form of injustice for decades.Critics say this is the only method that French police use to control sectors of the
