Rights group urges French police to end systemic racism

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – Human rights group Amnesty International called on French police to end systemic racism after the killing of a 17-year-old boy last month.

A police officer fatally shot Nahel M., a teenager of Algerian descent, during a traffic check after he allegedly ignored orders to stop in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on June 27.

"Nahel's death is an illegal homicide," Amnesty said on Twitter, and urged France to review the use of gun rules and "put an end to the systemic racism in law enforcement actions."

Nahel is at least the 15th person killed during traffic checks in France in 2022, Amnesty said, recalling that the internal security code was amended in 2017 to enlarge the use of guns.

In this context, Amnesty deplored, the law enforcement officers had too much liberty to interpret the law, which resulted in Nahel's death this time.

"Nahel's death is also the result of police discrimination and racism," it said, adding that officials such as Paris Police Chief Laurent Nunez and President Emmanuel Macron are denying those issues.

"We support the rallies seeking justice for Nahel and other victims of police violence," Amnesty further said.

"How many Nahels were not filmed? How many police officers were not judged? How many families of victims are waiting for justice to be done?" the rights group questioned.