France: Police and prisons
01 January 1991
France: Police and prisons
artdoc November=1995
Young French-Algerian dies in prison
An inquiry has been set up to establish how a 25-year old man
with dual French/Algerian nationality came to die on 28
December 1994 in Fresnes prison, Creteil.
It seems that Djamel Kjirmimoune had been injected with
sedatives on arrest and while in custody had been banging his
head against the wall. For this reason he was placed in the
hospital wing on arrival at Fresnes prison. When transferred
from the hospital wing to a prison cell, he wrote to his
parents, informing them that his injuries were healing but
seemingly concerned about a prison officer who kept mis-
pronouncing his name.
The next morning, Djamel Khimiimoune, having been placed
in solitary confinement, was found dead. "Towards late
morning, Djamel hit his head against the wall," say the prison
authorities. "He was taken to the medical centre, examined,
patched up and then returned to solitary confinement where he
was later found dead in his cell."
An autopsy has proved inconclusive, although it does seem
to suggest that bruising to the skull and forehead could not
have been the cause of death. The Algerian ambassador has
taken a personal interest in establishing the causes of
Khirmimoune's death (Liberation 24.1.95).
Paris police officers charged with assault
Three police officers from the Paris drugs squad have been
charged with wilful armed violence against a man of Beninese
origin. The incident, which left Lucien Djossouui with a
cranial injury and damage to his testicles, took place in
September 1989.
Driving to work on his moped, Djossouui was knocked down
by a man in a car. When he got up to complain to the driver,
he was met with a barrage of racial abuse. The driver then
produced a police identity card. Thinking better therefore of
complaining, Mr Djossouui drove on, only to be knocked off his
moped again further up the road by the same police officer.
This time, Mr Djossouui found himself handcuffed and assaulted
by three officers who dragged him into a doorway before
"hitting him in the stomach at least 20 times" and throwing
his ID cards away.
Although the police officers, who claim the incident
happened after Mr Djossouui failed to stop at an identity
check, have not yet been sentenced, the public prosecutor has
recommended terms of between 18 months and two years with a
minimum of six months to serve (Croix 28.1.95).
Britain blamed for harbouring Algerian fundamentalists
After French police launched a nationwide search for two
British-registered vehicles, allegedly driven by London-based
fundamentalists, French newspapers have once again alleged
that the UK is being used as a base for Algerian
fundamentalists. According to the Sunday Times, Britain's
internal security services believe that the Armed Islamic
Group is using mosques in Britain to raise money to buy
weapons. MI5 says it has identified 20 "hard-core activists",
some of whom have travelled to Algeria to carry out murders
before returning to London (International Herald Tribune
5.1.95).
IRR European Race Audit, no 13, April 1995. Contact: Liz
Fekete, Institute of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke Street, London
WC1X 9HS. Tel: 0171 837 0041