Accueil » Publications » The Collective against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) under threat of dissolution : an unacceptable attack on associative freedoms and equal rights

The Collective against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) under threat of dissolution : an unacceptable attack on associative freedoms and equal rights

13 novembre 2020 dans

- PRESS RELEASE -

(Paris, Tuesday 20 October 2020). The CCIF’s contribution to the public debate on the issue of discrimination is indisputable. Racism and the stigmatization of Muslims, or people perceived as Muslim, have been a reality in France for decades. Attacking an association that defends the rights of the Muslim minority jeopardizes a fight that is more necessary than ever in a society with a weakened social cohesion.

The CCIF participates in inter-associative initiatives for the defense and promotion of fundamental rights and freedoms, as it is the case within the framework of the « Counter-Terrorism, Rights and Freedoms » network of which it is a member as well as several signatories of this text. The CCIF has also been associated with several civil society initiatives warning against the abuses of the implementation of the state of health emergency. The action that this collective is taking at the judicial level to fight against the trivialization of narratives encouraging racial hatred in the public debate, is legitimate and essential.

The administrative dissolution of associations taken by decree by the Council of Ministers, a measure that has existed in the French Law since 1936, can only take place when strict conditions are met, conditions that the CCIF does not meet. Its dissolution would be a political attack on an association whose action is essentially focusing on the fight against racism suffered daily by Muslims.

The action of the CCIF is disturbing because it reveals, here and there, the way our society discriminates against Muslims. In doing so, the CCIF’s action joins the action of other associations fighting against discrimination (origin, handicap, gender, sexual orientation, poverty...), challenging inevitably the majority structures, rules and systems because of the inequalities they create.

The strategy of stigmatization chosen by the Minister of the Interior is dangerous since it targets individuals and associations because of their religious affiliation, real or supposed, when they have no connection with terrorism or hate speech. This authoritarian stance undermines essential principles of the rule of Law, which protect against collective accusations, abusive procedures and procedures not based on specific facts.

The arbitrary dissolution of associations is neither a fair nor an effective way to defend freedom of expression or collective security. Only religious fanatics and extreme right wing forces have something to gain from such a dissolution ; the rule of Law has everything to lose.
We call on the government to renounce the dissolution of the CCIF, to respect the freedom of association and the freedom of expression, enshrined in the Constitution of our Republic.

Signatories :

Associations : Action Droits des musulmans*, APPUII, Collectif « Les citoyens en alerte », GISTI, La Quadrature du Net*, REAJI, Tous Migrants, VoxPublic*

Lawyers : Me Asif Arif*, Me Ambre Benitez, Me Nabil Boudi*, Me Emmanuel Daoud*, Me Adelaïde Jacquin*, Me Jérôme Karsenti*, Me Raphaël Kempf*, Me Myriame Matari, Me Jean de Sèze, Me Lucie Simon*, Me Stephen Suffern, Me Flor Tercero*

Academics : Marie-Laure Basilien-Gainche (Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, honorary member of the Institut Universitaire de France)*, Vanessa Codaccioni (Paris 8 Univ.)*, Stéphanie Hennette-Vauchez (Paris Nanterre Univ.)*, Olga Mamoudy (Valenciennes Univ.)*, Sébastien Milleville (Grenoble-Alpes Univ.) Stéphanie Renard (Bretagne Sud Univ.), Julien Talpin (CNRS)

* = members of the « Counter-Terrorism, Rights and Freedoms » network