African activists denied participation in the democratic debate by French authorities

The Migreurop network, which brings together 41 organisations from Europe, the South and the East of Europe, held its Annual General Meeting on Saturday 19 November. Hicham Baraka, President of the BeniZnassen Moroccan Association for Culture, Development and Solidarity (Association Marocaine Beni Znassen pour la Culture, le Développement et la Solidarité -ABCDS), and Mouhamadou Keïta, from the Malian Association of Deported Malians (Association des Maliens Expulsés- AME), were not able to attend this meeting as France refused to issue visas for them.

The network is once again outraged by this illustration of a policy based on suspicion towards citizens from Southern countries, and which prevented the network from benefiting from the presence of these two activists. The network condemns these discretional practices that violate freedom of movement and therefore prevent people from the North and the South from meeting.

Do the French authorities consider that freedom of speech and freedom of assembly and association should only be enjoyed by Europeans? And should they only be exercised by Europeans?