France Proposes Deporting Foreign Inmates to Ease Prison Overcrowding

A wind of reform is set to blow through the French judicial sector. On Sunday, Gérald Darmanin sent a letter to all court personnel inviting them to reflect on his reform projects related to prison overcrowding, access to justice, and prison administration. To decongest French prisons, the Minister of Justice proposes to deport all foreigners sentenced to prison terms to their countries of origin. An expulsion that he considers "necessary," especially since foreign detainees constitute nearly a quarter of the prison population in France.

According to RFI, more than 19,000 foreigners are detained in French prisons, including 3,000 European Union nationals and more than 16,000 non-EU nationals. However, any expulsion of a foreign prisoner, a national of a non-EU country, is subject to the signing of an agreement with their country of origin, explains the Minister of Justice, emphasizing the need to also obtain the prisoner’s opinion. In this perspective, the minister has undertaken to renegotiate agreements with the countries concerned, including Morocco.