Can you avoid prison by joining French Foreign Legion?

There is no link between the court system and the Legion so, no, people are not offered a stint in the Legion as an alternative to prison, legionnaire Chief Sergeant Benjamin Coureu told Connexion.

In the past, the Legion was very relaxed about who could join, so it could be a way for those with a complicated history to restart their lives and seek anonymity.

Today, he said, it does not take those with a record of very serious crimes such as “murder, drug trafficking or terrorism”.

However, a policy of people joining under assumed names still exists, which may appeal to some. “It is a way of ensuring equality.

Everyone is anonymous at first so everyone is on the same level, even if they have done something serious in civilian life.

A few months or years later, they take up their old identity.”

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