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French Assembly Passes Bill Requiring Victim Notification Before Offender Release

A fast-track Senate review signals a push to standardize victim alerts with added safeguards after a widely publicized case.

Overview

  • Lawmakers in the National Assembly unanimously approved the bill, which now moves to the Senate under an accelerated procedure.
  • Courts would have to alert victims in sexual assault and domestic abuse cases about any release or even temporary leave of the accused or convicted person.
  • Deputies set a target to notify at least one month before release when feasible, with a requirement to do so as soon as possible if judges receive the date too late.
  • Upon release, contact and proximity bans would become the default to keep victims away from their aggressor, with any exception requiring a written justification by a judge.
  • Victims could decline alerts or file observations, judges could request a “grave danger” phone that connects them to police for rapid help, and departments would test two-year “victim follow-up” desks to coordinate legal and mental health support.