By Anietie anii-bassey
Palestinian activist Ramy Shaath has accused French authorities of attempting to deport him under claims that he poses a threat to public security, describing the move as politically motivated retaliation tied to his outspoken support for the Palestinian cause.
In a video statement released online on May 14, Shaath said the actions against him were part of what he called a wider crackdown targeting Palestinians and pro-Palestinian activists across France amid heightened tensions surrounding the ongoing war in Gaza. The 54-year-old activist argued that the measures being taken against him were designed to silence voices critical of Israeli policies and intimidate activists supporting Palestinian rights.
Shaath, one of the founders of the pro-Palestinian organization Urgence Palestine, said French authorities had intensified pressure on him after previous legal efforts against him failed to produce the outcome they wanted. According to Shaath, the current deportation proceedings are the latest step in a campaign that has steadily restricted his ability to live and work normally in France.
French officials have not publicly detailed the allegations against him, and the Interior Ministry did not immediately issue a response to the accusations raised in Shaath’s statement.
The activist said the difficulties began with problems renewing his French residency documents despite his longstanding family ties in the country. He also claimed that authorities or institutions had taken additional measures against him, including the closure of his bank account without prior notice and the suspension of his health insurance coverage.
Shaath said those actions severely disrupted his daily life, affecting his access to medical care, financial services, employment opportunities and freedom of movement.
He vowed to challenge the deportation effort through both French and European courts, saying he and his family would continue fighting what he described as an unjust and politically driven attempt to expel him from the country.
Shaath has long been known internationally for his activism linking the Palestinian cause with broader struggles for democracy and human rights in the Arab world. Born to Egyptian and Palestinian parents, he played a prominent role in political activism during and after Egypt’s 2011 uprising and later became a leading figure in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.
In 2014, Shaath founded the Egyptian chapter of the BDS movement, which advocates economic and cultural pressure on Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. His activism eventually drew the attention of Egyptian authorities, and in 2019 he was arrested in Cairo during a wider crackdown on political dissent.
Shaath spent more than two and a half years in detention before being released in January 2022. After his release, he said he had never been formally charged during his imprisonment and described harsh detention conditions, including time spent in overcrowded cells infested with insects before later being moved into solitary confinement in a small windowless room.
In interviews following his release, Shaath characterized his activism as rooted in peaceful resistance and nonviolent advocacy. He described his political work as a fight against injustice, authoritarianism and military occupation, insisting that his efforts had always been centered on civil action rather than extremism.
French President Emmanuel Macron publicly welcomed Shaath’s release from Egyptian detention in 2022, with France previously expressing concern over his imprisonment.
Shaath’s current situation has drawn renewed attention because of his personal and family connections to France. He is married to a French citizen and is the father of a French-Palestinian daughter, factors his supporters say strengthen his right to remain in the country.
The controversy comes at a time of growing political tension in France surrounding demonstrations, activism and public debate related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
French authorities have faced criticism from some rights groups and activists who argue that restrictions on certain pro-Palestinian demonstrations and organizations threaten freedom of expression and political activism.
Shaath said he remains determined to continue speaking out despite the pressure against him, warning that actions targeting activists could have broader implications for civil liberties and democratic rights in France and across Europe.
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