French human rights body points to police violence against protesters

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) - France's national human rights commission on Thursday expressed concern over police violence targeting the protesters.

Demonstrations have continued relentlessly in France since the government decided last week to bypass parliament and adopt a draft pension reform bill that would see the minimum retirement age rise by two years.

The French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) said in a statement that it was concerned by security forces' interventions in the protests, particularly those since March 16, when the measure was adopted.

The commission also said it notified the UN and Council of Europe's monitoring mechanisms, adding that numerous protesters have been arrested and placed into custody arbitrarily.

It also said that those arrested include two journalists who were placed in custody on March 17, a move denounced by journalist unions.

CNCDH President Jean-Marie Burguburu noted that in January 2020, the commission had warned of illegitimate police violence during the Yellow Vest demonstrations.

"I regret that three years later, the CNCDH must observe the same abusive and preoccupying schemes," Burguburu added. "Public authorities must remind the security forces of the legal framework of their intervention."

Underlining that the security forces' intervention must be strictly proportionate, the commission said: "The abuses in the use of force fragilize people's trust in public institutions."

"Growing police repression cannot be the proper response to the political and social problems which the government currently must face."

- Non-stop demonstrations

France has been facing non-stop demonstrations since President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne decided to use constitutional powers to adopt the bill without parliamentary consent on March 16.

Acts of violence marred most of those impromptu protests, with hundreds arrested during the weekend.

The French government used special constitutional powers last week to force the plan through, prompting opposing parties to submit no-confidence motions that were later rejected.

Macron and Borne decided to invoke Article 49.3 of the Constitution, a mechanism that lets the government adopt a draft bill without parliamentary approval.

The decision was driven by fear that lawmakers would be able to block the reforms as the government does not hold an absolute majority in the legislature.

The government revealed the reform project in January and parliament started examining and debating the draft bill the following month.

Workers and trade unions have since expressed growing outrage by holding demonstrations and walkouts.

The reform project includes raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, requiring at least 43 years of work to be eligible for a full pension.