French lawyers challenge use of residence orders

French lawyers and NGOs have expressed concerns over the use of residence orders to restrict individuals from participating in demonstrations, particularly in the context of recent citizen mobilizations. These orders have been applied to people involved in protests, raising questions about their legal justification and scope.

Notification received by protest participant

A person who took part in demonstrations on October 17 and 24 in Belfort received a notification from the Ministry of the Interior on Friday evening. This document required them not to leave their village from October 31 to November 1, 2026, and to report to the gendarmerie daily. The individual was described as "close to the revolutionary movement."

Orders target specific activist groups

These orders are being used against individuals associated with movements such as "Block everything," including trade unionists, pro-Palestine activists, ecologists, and antifascists, according to the far-left organization Permanent Revolution. The Ministry of the Interior justifies the orders as a measure to "prevent the commission of terrorist acts," a claim supported by Mediapart.

Legal defense against the orders

The targeted individuals are defending themselves by filing lawsuits with administrative courts in their regions. They argue that the government is attempting to justify the use of Micas, or individual administrative control and surveillance measures, outside the current legal framework, equating terrorism with antifascism and radical ecology.

Criticism of Micas and intelligence documents

Lawyers have noted that the Mica criterion is specifically for the fight against terrorism, and the targeted individuals do not fall into that category. They have also criticized the use of "white notes," which are documents from intelligence services that do not reveal their sources. The authenticity of these documents is rarely challenged by administrative judges.

Government response and NGO concerns

The Ministry of the Interior did not respond to AFP's request for the number of such residence orders. The NGO Earth Uprisings described the number as "staggering," indicating a new stage in the government's efforts to suppress popular revolt. The targeted individuals, according to one lawyer, are mostly students and farmers who have never been convicted or even placed in custody.