HRW sounds alarm on France's growing human rights failures Rising hate, eroding freedoms

The International French Radio (RFI) website recently spotlighted a growing concern in France: human rights in crisis. In 2024, the country faced escalating challenges, including a surge in hate crimes and contentious surveillance measures tied to the Paris Olympic Games, as detailed in Human Rights Watch's annual World Report. Caliber.Az now brings this critical coverage to its readers.

In its 2025 World Report, published on Thursday, January 16, Human Rights Watch (HRW) raises concerns about the integrity of democratic institutions globally, with France being no exception when it comes to human rights issues.

HRW highlights President Emmanuel Macron's decision to call snap elections in a bid to curb the rise of the far-right after Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) party made significant gains in June’s European Parliament elections. However, this move inadvertently fueled the spread of racist and xenophobic rhetoric across France, while also coinciding with an alarming rise in hate crimes targeting minorities and increasing economic inequality. These developments underscore the growing political and social fractures within the country.

Behind the Olympic curtain

While the Paris Olympic Games were hailed as a showcase of French flair, they also exposed several human rights concerns. The preparation process involved controversial "social cleansing" tactics, primarily targeting marginalized groups such as migrants. The Games themselves faced criticism, particularly over discrimination against athletes, including bans on the hijab, which drew condemnation from the United Nations and civil rights organizations.

Additionally, reports surfaced of abuse against homeless individuals, as well as the deployment of intrusive surveillance technology, raising serious privacy concerns. HRW also condemned racial profiling in police identity checks, shedding light on ongoing systemic racism issues within the country.

The rise in hate crimes was also troubling, with a significant increase in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents, which seemed to normalize hate speech across political and media platforms in France.

A decline in freedoms

The report further reveals that environmental activists in France have faced growing repression, with the government resorting to excessive police force, restrictive protest bans, and the use of anti-terrorism laws to quell demonstrations. Press freedom has also come under attack, with HRW noting the arrests of journalists investigating French arms sales to Israel and environmental matters, drawing the ire of press freedom organizations.

In Mayotte, the French department in the Indian Ocean, the destruction of informal settlements resumed in 2024. Despite the devastation wrought by Cyclone Chido in December, France's approach to irregular migration, crime, and disease on the island had failed to address pressing social issues.

Overlooking New Caledonia

While HRW's report highlights numerous failures in France regarding the rule of law, police brutality, and the right to protest, it notably omits any reference to the situation in New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific. After weeks of deadly clashes in 2024, separatist leaders were deported to the French mainland and incarcerated.

When questioned about this omission, HRW told RFI that it would respond at a later time.