Overview

• 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.