March 24 () –
The Council of Europe has expressed this Friday its concern about the “excessive use of force” by the French Police in the framework of the demonstrations against the pension reform approved by the French Government.
“There have been violent incidents, some of which have targeted law enforcement. But sporadic acts of violence by some protesters or other reprehensible acts (…) cannot justify the excessive use of force by state agents,” said Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic.
Likewise, it has indicated in a statement that the Council of Europe is concerned about the “arrest and police custody” of protesters, since this could end up violating “the right to liberty and security” of people.
“It is up to the authorities to allow the effective exercise of these freedoms, through the protection of peaceful protesters and journalists who cover these demonstrations against police violence and against violent individuals who act in or on the sidelines of the protests,” it has ruled.
Finally, Mijatovic has condemned the use of violence “as a means to resolve a social and/or political crisis.” “Violence must stop. This is a necessary condition for the effective exercise of freedom of expression and assembly, as well as for trust between the population and the Police,” he concluded.
