Class-action lawsuit: French police discriminate in checks

Six nongovernmental organisations say they are launching the first class-action lawsuit against France for alleged systemic discrimination by police carrying out identity checks.

The organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, contend that French police use racial profiling in checks, targeting people who are Black or of Arab descent. The NGOs aren't demanding monetary damages, but instead are seeking deep reforms to ensure that racial profiling does not determine who gets stopped by police.

Letters officially notifying France's prime minister and interior and justice ministers were being delivered Wednesday. The organisations planned a news conference in Paris about the case.