Latest news with #GéraldDarmanin
LBCI
2 days ago
- Business
- LBCI
Justice Minister Adel Nassar concludes official visit to France with high-level meetings on judicial cooperation
Lebanon's Justice Minister, Adel Nassar, concluded his official visit to the French Republic following a series of high-level judicial and administrative meetings in Paris. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation between Lebanon and France in the judicial field, as well as exchanging expertise in judicial organization and institutional reform. A key moment in the visit was Minister Nassar's meeting with his French counterpart, Gérald Darmanin, at the French Ministry of Justice, where they discussed ways to support Lebanon's reform path, particularly efforts to modernize the justice system and strengthen judicial independence. Minister Darmanin affirmed France's full readiness to support Lebanon through technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, and specialized training programs aimed at strengthening Lebanese judicial institutions. The two sides also discussed the possibility of a visit by the French minister to Lebanon in the near future. Minister Nassar also held meetings with several top judicial figures, including Christophe Soulard, President of the French Court of Cassation; Rémy Heitz, Prosecutor General at the Court of Cassation; and other senior officials. The discussions addressed the role of judicial councils in reinforcing the independence of the judiciary and promoting transparency and professional accountability, as well as ways to strengthen direct cooperation between the French and Lebanese judiciaries. In a meeting with Stéphane Noël, Inspector General at the French Ministry of Justice, Nassar explored judicial governance mechanisms and the development of oversight and evaluation systems within judicial and administrative institutions. Noël expressed his full readiness to cooperate and plans to visit Lebanon in July. The visit concluded with a meeting between Minister Nassar and Jérémie Pellet, Director General of Expertise France, during which they discussed avenues of cooperation in technical assistance, judicial training, and institutional capacity building—particularly in relation to modernizing Lebanon's Judicial Studies Institute. Minister Nassar extended his deep gratitude to the French authorities, especially Ambassador Hervé Magro, for his direct supervision in organizing the meetings, which marked an important step in reaffirming France's support for Lebanon, particularly in its efforts to uphold the rule of law and judicial independence.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Drug lords will be sent to 'super-max' jungle prison in the Amazon as France looks to turnaround the 'Mexicanization' of its streets by violent gangs
France is set to build a £337million American-style 'super-max' prison in the heart of the Amazon rainforest that will house drug lords and Islamist terrorists. The massive 40,700 square meter complex will be build in Saint Laurent du Maroni, in the jungles of French Guiana, said hardline justice minister Gérald Darmanin on Sunday, who visited the region to make the announcement, amid growing fervour against the so-called 'Mexicanization' of France at the hands of violent drugs gangs. Darmanin told a local outlet that no quarter would be given to those imprisoned at the jail. 'The prison regime will be extremely strict, with one aim: to put the most dangerous narcotraffickers in a place where they can do no harm', he said. The Saint Laurent du Maroni prison will hold up to 500 prisoners, and will have specialised high-security wings specifically for drug barons and Islamist extremists who posed too high a national security risk to be kept in general population. Justice ministry officials added that 15 places would be reserved for convicted Islamist radicals. The prison is due to open in 2028. Darmanin said: 'The drug gang bosses will no longer be able to have any contact with their criminal networks. 'My strategy is simple, hit organised crime at all levels.' In February, drug gangs in France carried coordinated machine-gun and arson attacks on seven prisons in response to the country's harsh new crackdown on the trafficking of illegal substances. Prisons in Toulon, Aix-En-Provence, Marseille, Valence and Nîmes in southern France, and in Villepinte and Nanterre, near Paris, were hit by simultaneous attacks. Police vehicle were set alight at several locations, while at La Farlede prison gunmen opened fired on the prison gate with a Kalashnikov rifle. Bullet holes were at the prison's entrance, while shattered glass was seen still in their frames. French police unions called for increased protection for prison staff. The country's anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into these attacks to see exactly who was responsible. Darmanin said at the time that 'significant means' would be deployed to investigate the spate of attacks, and that the perpetrators would be given 'extremely severe sentences.' 'I am delighted that the national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has taken action because this is extremely serious. These are terrorist attacks', he added. 'Clearly people are trying to destabilise the state by intimidating it,' he told the CNews/Europe 1 broadcaster. 'They are doing it because we are taking measures against the permissiveness that existed until now in jails,' he said. Anarchist symbols were seen at some sites while the letters 'DDPF', meaning 'French prisoners' rights', were seen at others. Darmanin and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau have in recent months vowed to intensify the fight against narcotics and drug-related crime. On May 17, 2025, Justice minister announced that a 500-place high-security prison would be opened by 2028 in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, in the heart of the Guiana jungle, to house prisoners serving the longest sentences for drug trafficking as well as radicalised inmates Darmanin said he was seeking to crack down on 'drug networks that continue to operate from prison cells. 'They order killings, launder money. They threaten police officers, judges, prison guards, and they escape,' he said. The justice minister has so far proposed several measures to tighten prison security, including setting up dedicated high-security jails for drug lords to isolate them from their gangs. France's parliament is currently passing a law that would great a special prosecutor's office to deal with drugs crimes, which would be equipped with new investigative powers. In November, Retailleau warned that the country was at a 'tipping point ' when it came to drug trafficking violence, following a massive shootout in the western city of Poitiers. 'These shootings are not happening in South America, they are happening in Rennes, in Poitiers, in this part of western France once known for its tranquility', he starkly said. 'We are at a tipping point and the choice we have today is a choice between general mobilisation or the Mexicanisation of the country,' he said, citing Mexico's deep problem with cartel violence.
Local France
23-05-2025
- Business
- Local France
Minister calls for France to become 'cashless society'
In a hearing before the Senate , justice minister Gérald Darmanin said that he proposed "le fin de l'argent liquide" - the end of cash - as the best method to tackle crime, specially drug dealing. He added: "A large proportion of fraud in everyday crime, even by criminal networks, is cash fraud". In recent years there are some European countries - such as Sweden - that have moved to a largely cashless society, albeit not necessarily in order to tackle crime. While cashless payments are becoming more common in France as more and more businesses take card payments or contactless card/phone payments, the country still uses plenty of cash. Advertisement It's rare for a business to not accept cash at all, although it does happen sometimes, most commonly at temporary stalls at markets or festivals or at pop-up businesses. During the pandemic France raised the limit for contactless payments to €50 to allow more contactless payments to take place. The year 2024 marked the first time that more card payments than cash payments happened in France. A survey conducted by Banque de France found that the card payments were the most popular means of payment with 62 percent of people saying this is their preferred method, well ahead of cash with 14 percent. However 60 percent of those surveyed said they believe it is important to have an option for cash payments - survey respondents said that cash payments allow anonymity (40 percent), enable immediate payment (37 percent) and better management of spending (31 percent). What are your experiences of cash payments in France? Do you find that businesses are more likely to welcome cash or cards? Please share your experiences in the comment section below
Roya News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
France to build $450M high-security jungle prison in South America
France has unveiled plans to construct a 400 million euro (USD 451 million) high-security prison deep in the Amazon jungle of French Guiana, aimed at cutting off dangerous criminals from their networks and cracking down on organized crime. The announcement was made by French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin during a visit to the South American territory, where he emphasized the need for a tougher approach to drug trafficking and extremism. The facility, expected to open by 2028, will be located in the remote northwestern commune of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni—once the grim entry point to France's notorious Devil's Island penal colony. It will house up to 500 inmates, including a specialized wing for the most high-risk individuals. In an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), Darmanin described the upcoming prison as part of a broader national strategy to dismantle organized criminal operations. 'We want to incapacitate the most dangerous drug traffickers,' he said, noting that the prison would enforce an 'extremely strict carceral regime.' Crucially, the justice minister framed the facility as a tool to sever drug lords from their influence. 'Drug lords will no longer be able to have any contact with their criminal networks,' Darmanin told JDD, citing the prison's extreme isolation and security protocols. French Guiana, a French overseas region bordering Brazil and Suriname, has long been a key transit point for narcotics smuggling routes into Europe. Officials hope the new prison—strategically located along these routes—will serve as a choke point for traffickers at the early stages of the supply chain. The initiative follows a string of violent incidents across France in recent months, where prison staff and facilities have been targeted by armed attackers. In some cases, perpetrators set vehicles ablaze outside prisons or opened fire, claiming to act in defense of inmates' rights. French authorities suspect these attacks are a backlash to sweeping reforms aimed at dismantling criminal networks. Earlier this year, the government introduced new legislation to give prosecutors and investigators greater powers, and to offer special protections for informants. The law also provides for the construction of multiple high-security prisons, including the one in French Guiana. The new facility will address long-standing challenges such as the widespread use of smuggled mobile phones in French prisons—tens of thousands are believed to be in circulation—by enforcing stricter controls on inmate communications. French Guiana's unique legal status as an overseas region means its residents are full French citizens with voting rights and access to France's social services. Yet its remote geography makes it an ideal site, officials say, for detaining individuals deemed too dangerous to remain on the mainland. The jungle site also evokes echoes of history. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni was the departure point for thousands of prisoners sent to the brutal penal colonies of the 19th and early 20th centuries, immortalized in Henri Charrière's memoir Papillon, later adapted into a film starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Why France is building a high-security prison deep in the Amazon jungle
With organized crime growing across Europe, France is planning a major move to take back control of its prison system. The government has announced plans to build a high-security prison deep in the Amazon rainforest, in its overseas territory of French Guiana. The goal is to keep some of the country's most dangerous criminals, like drug traffickers and extremists, completely cut off from the outside world. By placing them in such a remote location, authorities hope to stop these prisoners from running criminal networks even while behind bars. French Guiana: A strategic location French Guiana, on the northeastern coast of South America, has been a key route in the international drug trade for years. Its remote location and closeness to drug-producing countries like Brazil and Suriname have made it a hotspot for criminal networks. By building the new prison here, the French government hopes to isolate dangerous criminals, especially drug lords, and limit their ability to control illegal activities from behind bars. The new prison will be built in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, a town with a long history linked to France's old prison system. It was once the gateway to the infamous Devil's Island penal colony. Now, it's set to house some of the country's most dangerous criminals. By choosing such a remote spot, the government wants to make sure these inmates stay cut off from the outside world, limiting their ability to influence or run criminal networks, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), as quoted by BBC News. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] 2025 Best Luxury Hotel Prices Expertinspector Learn More Undo In recent years, France's prison system has faced growing problems with violence and gang activity inside jails. To tackle this, the government is stepping up efforts to break the grip of organized crime behind bars. The new prison will have space for around 500 inmates. As quoted by the BBC, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) newspaper that, 'This new facility will be a lasting means of removing the heads of the drug trafficking networks.' A major focus of the new prison is its advanced security measures. Mobile phones and other illegal communication devices have been a big problem in French prisons, letting criminals stay in touch with their networks. This facility will use special technology to block these devices, as mentioned in the BBC report. The French government is also working to improve its legal and prosecution systems. New laws have been introduced to give law enforcement more power and create special teams in the prosecution office focused on breaking up organized crime networks. These steps aim to tackle crime both inside prisons and in the wider community. The future of France's prison system According to the report, the facility is expected to open by 2028, and the world will be watching to see if it can effectively disrupt criminal organizations. Though ambitious, the plan shows France's determination to take strong action against crime. Building this high-security prison is just one part of France's bigger plan to improve how it fights organized crime. With tougher laws, better security, and more resources focused on tackling criminal gangs, the government aims to bring order back to its prisons and stop criminals from spreading their influence. However, the success of this plan will depend on how well it can stop these criminal networks from operating. By isolating their leaders and cutting off their contact with the outside world, France hopes to weaken their control over the drug trade and other illegal activities. As this ambitious project moves ahead, the French government is making it clear that it is serious about fighting crime and stopping criminals from acting without consequences. Whether this new prison will solve France's prison problems is still uncertain, but it signals a new phase in the country's fight against organized crime.
