Rights groups take French racial profiling case to top court
The groups have filed a class action lawsuit against the French state to fix what they contend is a culture of systemic discrimination in identity checks by police.
LeadingLeading rights organisations have filed a class action lawsuit against the French state to fix what they contend is a culture of systemic discrimination in identity checks by police, reports RFI.
The 220-page dossier, filled with examples of racial profiling by French police, was delivered Thursday to the Council of State, the ultimate arbiter on the use of power by authorities.
It was compiled by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Open Society Justice Initiative, along with three French grassroots organisations that work with youth.
The NGOs allege that French police target black people and people of Arab descent when deciding who to stop and check. Police officers who corroborate such accounts are among people cited in the file.
