Eric Fenster sent this via email:
\”A small (96 pages) book, and not just any book, is in danger of being censured in France. The title is: \’Vos papiers! Que faire face à la police?\’ (Your
papers! What to do when confronted by the police?) – It was recently published by the French magistrates\’ union (Syndicat de la magistrature). The book simply tells citizens (and others) what their rights are
when there is an ID check, arrest, and so on.
Eric Fenster sent this via email:
\”A small (96 pages) book, and not just any book, is in danger of being censured in France. The title is: \’Vos papiers! Que faire face à la police?\’ (Your
papers! What to do when confronted by the police?) – It was recently published by the French magistrates\’ union (Syndicat de la magistrature). The book simply tells citizens (and others) what their rights are
when there is an ID check, arrest, and so on.
The police are furious and have been demonstrating in the streets [sic] against the book, claiming it is anti-police and that telling people their rights hampers their work.
Daniel Vaillant, the Minister of the Interior (essentially the head of the national police) has filed a formal complaint against the book and Marylise Lebranchu, the Minister of Justice, has called its publication ill-advised (malvenue).
This reaction comes simultaneously with police attempts to scuttle the new French law on the \”presumption of innocence\” which, among other things, requires police to inform an arrested person of the right to remain silent and to have access to an attorney.
The book is nearly impossible to find. The major Paris bookstore is out of it and has told me it has no idea when its reorder will arrive or if the book will be censured before then.
Expressions of opinions from the outside world concerning an effort by a country that claims to be democratic to keep its people from knowing their rights can have an effect.
The address of the Minister of the Interior:
Monsieur Daniel Vaillant
Ministère de l\’intérieur
8, place Beauvau
75008 Paris FRANCE
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