French officer suspended following death of Moroccan national in Carcassonne
A French police officer has been suspended and placed under judicial supervision following the death of a Moroccan national in Carcassonne on 21 June. The investigation has been reopened under pressure from the victim's family and civil rights organisations.
Death in Carcassonne: officer suspended, investigation reopened
A French police officer suspected of involvement in the death of a Moroccan national in Carcassonne, in southern France, has been temporarily suspended from duty and placed under judicial supervision, according to sources at Hespress AR. Authorities have reopened the investigation following protests and pressure exerted by the victim's family.
The incident occurred on 21 June during the Music Festival celebrations. Youssef El Idrissi El Hassani, president of the Franco-Moroccan Association for Human Rights — which has joined the proceedings as a civil party — told Hespress AR that the victim was with friends when police officers intervened over alleged noise disturbances.
According to El Idrissi El Hassani, the victim was attempting to retrieve his mobile telephone when one of the officers struck him or pushed him from behind, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground. One of the victim's friends filmed the incident.
The video was circulated after French police had attributed the death to a heart attack. The family and the association subsequently filed multiple complaints, including one with the Interior Minister and another through a lawyer with the prosecutor's office, whilst requesting civil party status. A court hearing is scheduled for 6 November, according to the same sources.
Authorities have ordered a new autopsy to determine whether there is a direct link between the alleged police intervention and the death. El Idrissi El Hassani further criticised the absence of a public response from the Moroccan embassy and consulate in France, arguing that Moroccan diplomatic missions should play an active role in protecting Moroccan citizens abroad.
The Franco-Moroccan Association for Human Rights is calling for the circumstances of the death to be clarified and for the investigation to establish responsibility. The judicial proceedings are still ongoing.
Source: Hespress