France Condemned by European Court Over Rémi Fraisse's 2014 Death

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that France violated the right to life due to failures in its crowd control measures during a protest against the Sivens dam project.

Rémi Fraisse, a 21-year-old botanist and environmental activist, was killed in 2014 by an explosive grenade launched by French gendarmes during a protest against the Sivens dam project in Tarn.
The European Court of Human Rights (CEDH) condemned France for failing to ensure adequate safeguards against the use of potentially lethal force, citing significant legal, administrative, and operational deficiencies.
The court highlighted that France was the only European country using such exceptionally dangerous grenades, which were banned shortly after Fraisse's death.
No criminal trial was held for the gendarme involved due to a judicial ruling of no wrongdoing, but the administrative court recognized the state's 'responsibility without fault' and awarded compensation to the family.
The ruling calls for France to reassess its crowd control policies, as the case reflects broader concerns about the disproportionate use of force in managing public protests.