French govt jails more than 700 persons for role in protests

France’s justice minister announced on Wednesday that more than 700 people had received prison sentences as a result of protests late last month. He praised the magistrates’ “firm” response.

Over 95% of defendants have been found guilty on a range of offences, from vandalism to attacking police officers, totaling 1,278 verdicts.

Already, 600 individuals have been imprisoned.

“It was extremely important to have a response that was firm and systematic,” Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti told RTL radio. “It was essential that we reestablish national order.”

The most intense urban violence in France since 2005 began on June 27 after a police officer shot dead a 17-year-old boy with North African roots during a traffic stop west of Paris, in an incident recorded by a passerby.

“I spoke directly to the prosecutor general and asked for firm solutions: 1,278 charges have been brought, 95% of which have led to convictions; 1,056 people have been sentenced to prison, 742 of which are real prison sentences,” the minister told French radio.

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He added that the average sentence is 8.2 months and that 600 people have already been imprisoned.

Dupond-Moretti also stressed the need for a serious response.

“It was extremely important to show a firm and systematic response. I asked [prefects] to bring the perpetrators to justice wherever possible,” he said.

The riots were contained after four nights of serious clashes thanks to the deployment of around 45,000 security forces, including elite police special forces and armored vehicles.

Dupond-Moretti had led calls for courts to hand down harsh sentences as a deterrent, with some staying open over the weekend of the clashes to handle a backlog of cases.

Many suspects faced immediate appearances and some defence lawyers have raised concerns about the fairness of the judicial process and the heavy use of custodial sentences.

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