In a letter sent to the French government on November 15, and to which franceinfo was able to have access, four experts mandated by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights are concerned about “the slowness of the investigation, the absence of an indictment and the possible lack of guarantee of independence, impartiality and transparency in the ongoing procedure”six years after the death of Adama Traoré during his arrest by the gendarmerie in Beaumont-sur-Oise (Val-d’Oise) on July 19, 2016.
The four rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council, who state that they write “according to the information received”say to themselves “concerned by the significant delays in carrying out acts requested by the family”pointing in particular to slowness in “the reconstruction of the arrest, the hearing of key witnesses and the study of the criminal records of Adama Traoré and the gendarmes” Who “have still not been carried out.”
The United Nations Human Rights Council also says “concerned” through “lack of indictment” in that case. The three gendarmes implicated were indeed not prosecuted and continue to be placed under the status of assisted witness. In another paragraph, the note sent to the government also points to a concern about a “absence of consideration of a possible racist motive in the death of Mr. Traoré.”
“Without wishing to prejudge the conclusions of the investigation, we would like to recall that the alleged facts, if established, would constitute violations of international human rights law to which France has subscribed”continue the signatories, who are asking the government for a response in order to “provide any additional information in relation to the above-mentioned allegations.”
“It has been shown in this case that French criminal procedure was violated during the investigation”reacts to franceinfo the lawyer of the family of Adama Traoré, Me Yassine Bouzrou. “It has also been demonstrated that the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights have been violated in this case, in particular the right to an effective investigation”he continues. “And it is now the turn of the UN Human Rights Council to note the violation of fundamental principles of international law.”
“It is a humiliation for French justice which deserves better than the investigating judge currently seized.”
Me Yassine Bouzrou, lawyer for the family of Adama Traoréat franceinfo
This note is signed by Dominique Day, chair-rapporteur of the working group of experts on people of African descent, Morris Tidball-Binz, special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, E. Tendayi Achiume, special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; and Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Thursday, February 3, the lawyer for the family of Adama Traoré Yassine Bouzrou filed a third request for reconstitution of the arrest. His sister Assa Traoré is organizing a big march in memory of the young man who died at the age of 24, this Saturday February 12 in Paris.