This Week in Human Rights News

Protests in France against an anti-security bill

For the second consecutive weekend, thousands of people across France have protested against a proposed security bill that would make it more difficult to film police officers and prosecute cases of abuse.

The bill was backed last week by the lower house of Parliament, and is now awaiting Senate approval.
Protesters are calling for Article 24, one of the most controversial elements of the new law, to be withdrawn. Article 24 would criminalise the publication of images of on-duty police officers with the intent of harming their "physical or psychological integrity". It says offenders could face up to a year in prison and be fined €45,000 (£40,445; $53,840).
The government argues that the bill does not jeopardise the rights of the media and ordinary citizens to report police abuses - and is only aimed at giving protection to police officers.
But opponents say that without such images, none of the incidents of policy brutality which took place over the past week would have come to light.
Days prior to the first weekend of protests, footage showed several police officers beating and racially abusing a music producer.
In the face of growing public criticism, Prime Minister Jean Castex said he would appoint a commission to amend Article 24. But Castex was forced into a U-turn even on this proposal after parliament speaker Richard Ferrand - a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron - accused the premier of trying to usurp the role of parliament.

"Police everywhere, justice nowhere" and "police state" and "smile while you are beaten" were among the slogans brandished by protesters.

In Paris, chants of Darmanin démission (Darmanin resign) could be heard, referring to the unpopular Minister of Interior Gérald Darmanin, who has vocally backed the security law.
In a tweet, Darmanin praised the police for facing down “very violent individuals”.

Minister of Interior Darmanin said at least 64 people had been arrested across the country and eight police officers were injured.
In the western city of Nantes, two riot police were injured, one of them with a Molotov cocktail, French media reported.
In the capital Paris, protesters on Saturday set fire to several cars, pillaged a bank and tossed objects at police.