Police Oversight Under โFire as Report reveals ‘Judicial Scandal‘ in Handling of Protest Cases
PARIS – โA new report by an unnamed NGO alleges aโฃ systemic lack ofโฃ accountability in investigations conducted by the Inspection Gรฉnรฉrale des polices Nationales (IGPN),โ France’s police oversight body, regarding injuries sustained โคduring protests. The findings, presentedโ this week, detailโ numerous cases where investigations yielded no results despite clear evidence, leaving victims feeling ignored and fueling calls for independent oversight.
The report highlights a pattern of investigations closing without action, even when judges have identified potential โperpetrators.This opacity, critics say, effectively deniesโค victims legal standing and perpetuates a cycle of impunity. The surge in protest-related injuries in recent years-particularly โฃthose involving controversial law enforcement weapons like LBDs โ(launchers of tear gas and dispersal grenades)-has amplified concerns about the thoroughness โand impartiality of internal investigations.
Mรฉlanie N’goye-Gaham, injured during a 2019 demonstration, expressed โคher frustration with the IGPN investigation into her โcase, stating it “gave zero” results despite a judge identifying two potential shooters. “Receiving a classification without further action is a second blow,” she testified. โVanessa Langard, whose face was broken by an LBD shot on the Champs-รlysรฉes in 2018, echoed this sentiment, saying, “We still don’t have victim status, we don’t exist. Weโ are numbers.”
The NGO โฃcontends thatโข self-regulation within the police force is insufficient and is urging parliamentary intervention. โข”The โball is in the parliamentary court,” stated Lionel Perrin of โthe NGO, calling โfor a commission of inquiry and the creation of aโฃ fully independent oversight body.
Several left-wingโฃ parliamentarians-including Daniรจle Obono, Thomas Portes, Sandra Regol, and Corinne Narassiguin-attended the report’s presentation, alongside Cรฉlineโข Roux, deputy of the Defender of rights. Abdelkader Lahmar, โคa deputy from La France Insoumise, expressed his readiness to “dig” into the legislative track,โฃ noting the ancientโฃ invisibility โofโ victims in such cases.
The โreport arrives amid growing scrutiny of police conduct inโ France and increasing demands for greater transparency and accountability in law enforcement. The call โขfor an independent โoversight body reflects a broaderโ push to address systemic issues within the police and ensure justice for those injured during protests.
Source: Leโข Nouvel Obs with AFP