UN: France Must Be Serious about Solving the Problem of Racism

PBB (Photo: Doc. Unsplash)

JAKARTA - France is asked to immediately resolve the problem of racism in law enforcement agencies in the country.

The statement was made by spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Ravina Shamdasani in response to the riots that occurred in France after the death of a 17-year-old teenager as a result of being shot by the police.

"This is a momentum for the country to seriously resolve the problem of racism and racial discrimination embedded in law enforcement," Shamdasani said, quoting Antara.

He also stressed the importance of peaceful protests. The United Nations appealed to the authorities and the police to always respect the principles of law, equity and non-discrimination in carrying out their duties to contain such demonstrations.

"Any suspicion of excessive use of force must be investigated immediately," he said.

Riots broke out in France after police shot dead French Algerian youth Nahel (17) because he did not follow a stop order for a traffic check on Tuesday (27/6) in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

Since then, the rioting has spread to other suburban areas of Paris, such as the Seine-Saint Denis and Villeurbanne, as well as other major cities including Nantes and Toulouse until Wednesday (28/6) evening.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said the government would consider all options, including declaring a state of emergency, to restore law and order.

Prosecutors said the policeman who killed the teenager had been charged with manslaughter and was placed in pre-trial detention.