French Security Bill To Outlaw Dissemination Of Malicious Images Of Police

A new French security bill proposes to forbid the dissemination for malicious purposes of images of police officers doing their jobs which supporters say would protect officers from personal attacks using social media.

Article 24 of France’s new security bill would make it a criminal offence to disseminate images meant to harm the physical or mental integrity of police officers.

This clause was first proposed by Jean-Michel Fauvergue, an MP for President Emmanuel Macron’s La République En Marche (LREM) party, and could be punishable with one year in prison and a €45,000 fine.

LREM MP Alice Thourot told France Inter radio that the purpose is to forbid any calls for violence or reprisals against officers and their families in videos broadcast over social media.

However, some critics of the proposed new law claim that it could have unintended consequences.

On November 8, some 30 members of France’s Society of Journalists published an open letter denouncing what they regard as a “threat to the freedom to report.

Amnesty International, meanwhile, says if it passes the law the French government would be violating the UN’s 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects freedom of expression.