Protests against ‘solidarity crime’

PROTESTS are expected in 80 towns today against the fact it is a crime to help illegal immigrants.

A collective of associations, including Emmaüs, La Cimade, Secours Catholique, and France Terre d’Asile, are calling on people to join protests against what they are calling the délit de solidarité – a délit is an offence of medium seriousness in French law.

The protests will include one in Paris 5th, in Place Saint-Michel, near the law courts. That will be followed a few days later by a proposed law being drafted by the collective. It will aim to allow associations to offer an “unconditional welcome” to sans-papiers without fear of falling foul of the law.

Currently the law prescribes a punishment of five years in prison and €30,000 for “anyone who, by direct or indirect help, facilitates or tries to facilitate the entry, the circulation or the unlawful residence of a foreigner in France.”

Immigration Minister Eric Besson has stated that in practice this is only enforced against people who deliberately (usually for money) smuggle people in and out of the country. However associations say members are regularly taken in for police questioning and occasional prosecutions take place.

The issue was highlighted recently by the controversial film Welcome - the story of a swimming teacher helping a young Kurd attempt to swim across the English Channel.

The proposals by the associations come on top of one to abolish the délit de solidarité proposed by the Socialists which will be debated at the National Assembly at the end of the month.

It is based on a European directive which states that helping immigrants should only be a crime if it is done for payment.

Photo: Mars Distribution