France seeks constitution amendment after terror attack

The government of France has proposed tough anti-terror laws under which citizens guilty of terror offences will be stripped of their French nationality. 

The proposal, put forward during a cabinet meeting in Paris on Wednesday, prompted criticism from rights groups.

The proposed changes to the law would allow authorities to strip some natural-born citizens of their nationality if they are convicted of terrorism.

Another constitutional change would protect police's state-of-emergency powers such as warrantless searches or house arrest orders from court challenges.

The proposal has already created divisions among parties and within the ruling Socialist party. It is believed to meet stiff opposition when it goes before parliament in February.

Justice Minister Christiane Taubira voiced doubts over the citizenship clause and stated that it would be dropped, but this was overruled by President Francois Hollande.

"The threat has never been higher," Prime Minister Manuel Valls told reporters following the meeting of government ministers.

According to Valls, more than 1,000 people had left France to join terrorists in Syria and Iraq, of which an estimated 148 had died and 250 returned.

"Radicalized individuals from numerous countries join Daesh. There are many French speakers and we know that fighters group themselves according to language, to train and prepare terrorist actions on our soil," he said.

France is already under a 3-month limit state of emergency declared by Hollande after assailants struck at least six different venues in and around Paris, leaving 130 people dead and over 350 others injured.

The November 13 coordinated attacks were claimed shortly afterwards by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group already wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria.

Earlier this month, the French government drew up a draft law to extend the state of emergency for up to six months.

'Deeply worrying'

Civil rights groups have criticized any changes to the country’s constitution, citing the violence of police raids, cases of mistaken identity and people losing their jobs because they were placed under house arrest.

The London-based rights group Amnesty International slammed the constitutional reforms, calling them "deeply worrying," adding that police were already using an “extensive and sometimes disproportionate arsenal" of measures.

"The government cannot undermine the rule of law and violate the very human rights it is trying to protect: freedom of expression, freedom of movement and non-discrimination,” Gauri van Gulik, Amnesty's Europe Director, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Since the state of emergency was declared in France, more than 3,000 raids have taken place while 360 suspects have been taken in for questioning.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk