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France: Use of firearms and "less-lethal" weapons by police

01 November 2004

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The French internal security ministry has published figures for 2003 on the use of firearms by the police and gendarmerie (France's paramilitary police force), which show that they fired their weapons 706 times, killing 18 persons and injuring 51. The figures, which do not cover activities by the Corps Républicains de Securité (CRS, a special corps), also show that the non-lethal "flashball" gun was being used more often (412 times) than live ammunition (294 times, a figure that is decreasing). The flashball gun fires rubber bullets that squash on impact, and its use was extended in May after several police officers came under attack. Amnesty International wrote to the interior ministry in June, expressing concern over reports that the bullets could "cause serious and even lethal injuries when fired at close range", and over the possibility that officers may "begin to rely on such weapons instead of applying non-violent means". The minister replied that the only criminal investigation into the application of these weapons was set aside by the prosecutor.

Libération 8.10.04; Amnesty International Report 2003 France.

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