The CRIF in action
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Published on 21 June 2004

ANTI-SEMITISM IN FRANCE, AN OFFICIAL SURVEY

Following a meeting with CRIF's President Roger Cukierman, French Minister of Justice Dominique Perben said, "We have counted the totally unacceptable figure of 180 anti-Semitic attacks since 1 January 2004. Unfortunately, out of those 180, the perpetrators of 145 attacks were not identified. Those identified are being prosecuted. Out of the 61 persons prosecuted, 41 are under age. Hence the problem for the judicial system. We are in absolute need for a policy of prevention of anti-Semitic attacks," said Minister Perben. "This problem is really worrying me," he added.



Out of the 35 prosecuted cases, six were not brought to court by decision of the Attorney General; two of those cases were concluded by a simple warning to the perpetrators; two by the payment of a compensation to the victims; one because the offence was not clearly established and the last one because of the age of the perpetrator, a six-year old.

"We can only notice that the amount of court decisions condemning the perpetrators of anti-Semitic attacks is extremely small," said Roger Cukierman. The Lellouche Law (reinforcing the punishment for anti-Semitic attacks) voted unanimously by both houses of the French Parliament was not applied even once. When it comes to anti-Semitic attacks in the press, the courts too often discharge the authors of the attacks. The public opinion is not too aware of the level of anti-Semitism. The judges discharging those who publish anti-Semitic writings should not forget that anti-Semitism is not an opinion but an offence.

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