Reply #2: More on the law from the World Socialist Website [View All]

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http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/nov2002/fran-n18.shtml

On October 23 the French government submitted a proposed reform of French criminal law that strengthens the powers of the police and introduces harsh punishments for beggars, prostitutes and other socially deprived groups.

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In addition, entirely new categories of crime are to be introduced such as aggressive begging, occupation of entry halls to apartment blocks, camping in public places (by Romany gypsies) and procurement of customers by street prostitutes. The law envisages drastic punishments for such offences extending to six months imprisonment and fines of up to 7,500 euros.

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The Human Rights League addressed an open letter to Sarkozy, stating that his laws transformed any sort of begging or prostitution into a criminal act. They criticised the expansion of police powers in everyday life where the police can stop and search on the streets without giving any grounds for doing so. The latter concluded with a question for the minister: “Is it your intention to transform all inhabitants of the land into suspects?”