FRANCE French Republic Head of state: François Hollande Head of government: Bernard Cazeneuve (replaced Manuel Valls in December) In response to several violent attacks, the state of emergency was extended four times during the year; emergency measures restricted human rights disproportionately. In October, the authorities evicted an informal settlement at Calais, where more than 6,500 migrants and asylum-seekers lived. COUNTER-TERROR AND SECURITY Several violent attacks were committed during the year. On 13 June, a police officer and his partner were killed in their home in the Paris Region. On 14 July, 86 people were killed in Nice by a man who deliberately drove a truck into the crowd gathered to celebrate France’s national holiday. On 26 July, a priest was killed in his church near Rouen in northwestern France. A week after the attack in Nice, Parliament voted to renew the state of emergency in place since co-ordinated terrorist attacks on Paris in November 2015, until 26 January 2017. On 15 December, Parliament voted to extend it again until 15 July 2017. The state of emergency gave the Ministry of the Interior and police exceptional powers including the possibility to conduct house searches with no judicial authorization and to submit individuals to administrative control measures to restrict their liberty on grounds of vague evidence falling below the threshold required for criminal prosecution.1 Using these powers, the authorities conducted more than 4,000 house searches without judicial authorization and subjected more than 400 individuals to assigned residence orders. As of 22 November, the orders applied to 95 individuals. Emergency measures disproportionately restricted freedom of movement and the right to private life. 160 On 10 June, the UN Committee against Torture raised concerns regarding allegations of excessive use of force by police in the context of administrative searches conducted using the emergency powers, and called for investigations into those allegations. Parliament also passed new legislation strengthening administrative and judicial powers in the area of counter-terrorism. On 3 June, Parliament adopted a new law that granted the Minister of the Interior power to use administrative control measures against individuals allegedly returning from conflict areas who are deemed to constitute a threat to public security. The law extended the power of judicial authorities to authorize house searches at any time for the purposes of investigating terrorism-related offences. The law also made the regular consultation of websites deemed to be inciting or glorifying terrorism an offence unless those websites are consulted in good faith, for research purposes or other professional reasons with the aim of informing the general public. The vague definition of the offence increased the likelihood of the prosecution of individuals for behaviour that falls within the scope of legitimate exercise of freedom of expression and information. REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS On 24 October the authorities began the eviction of more than 6,500 migrants and asylum-seekers living in the informal settlement known as “The Jungle” in Calais, a process that took several days. Migrants and asylum-seekers were relocated in reception centres throughout France where they were given information regarding asylum procedures. The authorities failed to genuinely consult migrants and asylumseekers or provide them with adequate information prior to the eviction. Civil society organizations raised concerns regarding the process for the approximately 1,600 unaccompanied minors in the camp. Their situation was to be assessed jointly by French and UK authorities in view of their best interests and/or possible transfer to the UK to be reunited with their family. The Amnesty International Report 2016/17